


Whimsical Wanderings

by fadedink



Category: Captain America (Movies), Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: 3 Sentence Fiction, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Fashion & Models, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Baseball, Becketcest - Freeform, Drabble, Drunk Texting, Fluff, Gagecest, Gen, Hansencest - Freeform, Incest, Kid Fic, M/M, Mirror Universe, Multi, Parent/Child Incest, Sibling Incest, Texting, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-05
Updated: 2015-05-25
Packaged: 2018-01-18 06:34:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 36
Words: 21,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1418530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fadedink/pseuds/fadedink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All of the snippets, drabbles, ficlets, and 3 sentence fics I've written based on prompts from Tumblr.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Snippets & Drabbles & 3 Sentence Fics

**Author's Note:**

> Each 'chapter' will be a different ficlet (or, as in the case of 'chapter 1', the snippets/drabbles/3 sentence fics in one spot). Pairings/tags will be updated as needed.

_(Herc, Scott)_

Herc peers around the door of his quarters. If he's more than a little wary, he reckons he's got a right, what with bunking with Scott. Kid's a damn menace.

A flicker of movement catches his eye. "Don't do it," he growls, pointing a finger. "Do not."

"Dunno what you're talking about," Scott says airily, flashing the shark-like grin that is anything but innocent.

Then Herc does something stupid. He takes his eyes off Scott for two seconds. Just like that, Scott is on him, all arms and legs like an octopus. "Damn it, I said don't!"

"You love it."

+++

_(Chuck/Raleigh)_

Chuck will sleep through anything short of a kaiju alarm, so Raleigh wakes first. He does it slowly, letting himself drift to full consciousness instead of jumping right out of bed with eyes wide open and body ready to meet the day.

It's something he's learned over the months since the Breach closed.

And, like always, he wakes to a warm weight sprawled against his side, a muscular thigh draped over his, and an arm wrapped around his waist. Chuck's head is tucked into the curve of his neck as he cuddles closer. Raleigh just smiles and kisses Chuck's temple.

+++

_(Hansencest – Herc/Chuck)_

Chuck sprawls on the thin mattress, taking up every possible inch that he can, and flashes Herc a smile when he comes back with a warm washcloth. There are parts of Chuck that are pleasantly sore (because his dad's not the gentle, take-your-time type and the mattress is very thin), but he can't be bothered to care.

His smile widens when Herc tosses the cloth aside and crawls over him to flop down, one arm reaching out to haul Chuck into a tight hug. He twists to bury his face against his dad's chest and lets out a pleased hum. 

*

It happens like this every morning. Chuck wakes up with the covers twisted around his legs like a boa constrictor and Herc wrapped around him like an old blanket. And there's always that split second where Chuck isn't fully awake and he flails as panic hits him hard.

But then he remembers that he's alive, the war is over, the Breach is closed, and his dad is right there.

That moment of clarity is all it takes for him to settle down, breathe easy, and drift back off as Herc's arms tighten around him and soft lips nuzzle his temple.

+++

_(Chuck/Raleigh/Yancy)_

If there's one thing to be said about Drift compatibility, Chuck thinks, it's that it makes two on one sex fucking phenomenal. By the time they collapse into a sweaty heap, he's light-headed and his muscles are twitching uncontrollably.

He grumbles about it as one twitch sends a shiver racing up his spine, and Raleigh just laughs and rolls him to his side so he can press against Chuck's back.

Yancy just smiles, slurring his words the way he always does after sex (and when he's just woken up), and rolls against Chuck's front until they're all tangled together again.

+++

_(Hansencest – Scott/Herc/Chuck)_

They need to get up, rinse off, maybe get some water, or they're all going to be a nasty, sticky mess in the morning. Scott tells himself he's going to suggest exactly that. In just a moment.

Or two.

Right now, though, he's going to enjoy being exactly where he is. He's going to enjoy the feel of Chuck nestled against his spine, the kid's mouth curved in a smile where it rests against his shoulder. And he's going to enjoy the feel of Herc plastered against his front, breath warm on his throat as Herc laughs and scoots closer.

+++++++++

_(Chuck, Herc)_

The fact that Chuck is curled up in his bunk and snoring is Herc's first clue. The kid is never asleep this early. Not since he was old enough to figure out just how far he could push things.

The second clue is that Max is in his dog bed. Nine nights out of ten, he sleeps with Chuck.

So he studies the bed and the room, sees nothing, but the second he grabs his blanket, a sliver of bright green peeks from beneath Chuck's lashes. Maybe, Herc thinks as he releases the blanket, he'll bunk in Stacker's room tonight.

+++

_(Chuck/Raleigh)_

The crack over the small house they're renting for the week stiffens Chuck's spine. There's another, softer rumble accompanied by rain hitting the window.

Wide eyes shift to the ceiling and Chuck starts to count in his head. He reaches three before there's another crack, louder than the first. It's enough to send him towards the bedroom.

He doesn't run; he just walks rather quickly.

Then an explosion of sound rattles the windows, drawing a stifled yelp from him as he shoots into the room, burrowing beneath the duvet. Raleigh just chuckles softly and wraps a snug arm around him. 

*

It's okay, Raleigh says, but Chuck just grumbles and scoots even closer. At this point, a piece of tissue paper couldn't fit between them. That makes Raleigh laugh, and Chuck thumps his shoulder.

Not funny, Chuck growls against Raleigh's collarbone, jerking when thunder breaks over the house again. The storm's stronger now, their room pitch black except for the flashes of lightning, and each crack makes Chuck shudder.

The next draws a whimper that has Raleigh running a slow hand down Chuck's spine. He nudges Chuck's head up for a soft kiss in an effort to distract him. It works.

+++

_(Chuck/Raleigh)_

They didn't set out to keep it hidden. It just happened that way.

After Pitfall and Chuck's months in medical, they didn't care what the world thought any longer. It was enough that they were alive.

So what if they didn't answer the pointed questions they received? Not like Herc or Mako got those questions. What they had was between them, for them, and they didn't owe anyone anything.

Everyone had their suspicions, but only Tendo knew for sure. And only because he was who Chuck went to the night Raleigh had a panic attack after he dreamed Chuck died.

+++++++++

_(Priscilla Queen of the Desert AU – Chuck/Raleigh)_

"Nah, love, I can't wear that one, doesn't fit," Chuck says, eyeing the glittery silver mini dress in Raleigh's hands and frowning because as much as he loves that dress (and the wig and shoes that go with it), it's just too big through the torso and as much as he hates to admit it, Raleigh's definitely more built than he is.

Raleigh gives it a critical look, then skates his eyes over Chuck's body and nods (because they both know that while Chuck isn't a skinny thing, the dress will hang on him like a bad suit) before asking, "okay, what're you wearing then?"

With a wide grin, Chuck holds up the bright, multi-colored thong dress and the incredibly bright ass wig that's a perfect match, and the delight in Raleigh's eyes is exactly the reaction Chuck had hoped for when he'd made the decision.

+++

_(Single parents AU – Chuck/Raleigh)_

The tug on the leg of his jeans stops Raleigh just as they reach the door and he looks down into the wide, blue eyes of his son — his son who is trying to hide behind his legs as his cheeks turn pink — and Raleigh crouches down at the next, harder tugged accompanied by a stage whispered "Dad, listen, that's her, that's the new girl in my class!!"

And the new girl is just as described, with a head full of dark red curls and big green eyes and a dimpled smile that is an identical match for the man holding her hand as they walk up the sidewalk to the pre-school. But as cute as the little girl is, it's her dad that makes Raleigh's heart do a funny stutter thump thing as his breath catches in his throat when Justin leans in and whispers, "her mommy is a weekend mommy, too, and her daddy is just like you."

+++

_(Modern werewolves AU – Becketcest, Gagecest)_

There are two truths: the first is that there are born werewolves and made werewolves, and the second is that the former will always be able to smell the latter. The Beckets, Raleigh and Yancy, are the former, and have been mated since they were 17 and 20 respectively (their pack is still surprised it took them that long) and the Gage twins, Trevin and Bruce, well… They aren't mated, but they may as well be, and Yancy knows it the second he and Raleigh step out of Burger King and his hackles go up at the first whiff of other.

+++

_(Victorian gentlemen AU – Chuck/Raleigh)_

"My father," Chuck manages to gasp as Raleigh's hand slips beneath his waistband, making his hips jerk as his head falls back against the wall, and he wants to say that his father will kill them for this, but Raleigh has clever fingers.

"He'll never know," Raleigh whispers the words against Chuck's throat, hand delving lower to curl around Chuck's throbbing shaft, and he laughs softly as Chuck moans in his ear.

Their harsh breathing mingles as their lips brush once, twice, three times, and through it all, Raleigh's hand keeps time with the music drifting through the slightly ajar door, and the out of the way room isn't as out of the way as Chuck would like — the punishment for what they're doing is death and not even good Queen Victoria would change that for Hercules Hansen's son — but as Raleigh kisses him again, Chuck knows he would risk anything for more of this.

+++

_(Models AU – Hansens)_

"Don't prance," Herc growls, carefully adjusting Chuck's tie before he heads out to the runway, "and remember not to swish your goddamn hips because —"

"I know, old man," Chuck says, flashing a smirk and putting an extra twitch into his hips as he turns away (just because he knows how much it annoys his dad and honestly, he only does it for the runway shows when Herc specifically tells him not to), but the hard smack against his arse startles him right out of his headspace and he whirls back to stare at Herc.

"I told you," Herc says blithely, adjusting his own tie and stepping past Chuck to the curtains as the first group in the show is called, "don't call me that."

+++

_(College AU, where Chuck is one of the advisors on Yancy's Masters committee)_

Yancy clutches the current draft in one hand and clears his throat before knocking on the door - and fuck, he honestly can't believe he's having to deal with a kid younger than his damn brother and really, who thought it was a good idea to give a Ph.D. to a 21 year old - and he peeks around the door at the growled "the fuck d'you want?"

"I can come back —" he starts and stops when blue-green eyes glare at him from across the desk as Chuck makes a low noise deep in his throat "— anyway, I've got the latest draft, and you said you wanted to see it before I -"

"Becket, anyone ever tell you that you talk too much," Chuck drawls, a rare smile showing dimples (which really just are NOT fair given how damn smart the kid is and Yancy shouldn't find either of them as hot as he does, but well, he does) as he stands and stretches before rounding the desk and holding out his hand…and yeah, Yancy is so screwed this term.

+++

_(Hogwarts AU – Chuck, Raleigh, Yancy)_

After the Sorting, Chuck sits at the end of table and eats without making a sound - he's still a little shocked that he ended up in Gryffindor and while his new housemates had all been nice, none of them had been particularly friendly - but soon enough the food is gone and it's time to leave. He's just on the edge of panic when a warm hand drops onto his shoulder and he looks up into a pair of smiling blue eyes. "You're Chuck, right, well, I'm Raleigh and I'm a third year," the boy says, his smile all sunshine and happiness and Chuck just wants to wrap himself in that smile and stay for a few decades, "and that's my brother, Yancy, and we've got an empty bed in our room so if you want…"


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yancy lives- in fact EVERYBODY LIVES!!In which Raleigh gets *somehow* turned into a four/five year old. And keeps asking for Yancy. Adorableness ensues.

"Tendo, have you seen Ranger Becket?"

The words are rushed together and it takes Tendo a few seconds to sort them out as he turns to look at Dr. Geiszler. "Wasn't he with you?"

"Not that one," Newt replies, waving one hand wildly in the air. "The other one. The older one."

"Have you checked their quarters? Yancy likes to sleep –"

"Okay, thanks, bye!"

Tendo's left staring in confusion as Newt darts down the hallway like the hounds of Hell are after him.

 

"Newt, this better be life or death," Yancy growls, attempting to rub the sleep from his eyes as he stumbles into the lab on Geiszler's heels. "Otherwise, I'm going to –"

"I want my Yancy!"

The childish voice stops Yancy's words in his throat. He knows that voice. Just as he knows the tow-headed, blue-eyed, little boy glaring up at Dr. Gottlieb. "Oh, man," he groans, "the fuck did you do?"

 

"You is not my Yancy!"

Yancy crouches down to put himself on Raleigh's eye-level (and no, he really doesn't want them to explain yet again how they managed to turn his little brother into a four year old) and takes a deep breath. "'Fraid I am, kiddo."

"No," Raleigh says, eyes flashing with indignation as he stamps his small foot on the floor. He holds one hand a few inches above his head. "My Yancy is dis big."

With a sigh, Yancy fishes out his dog tags and pulls them from his neck. He hands them to Raleigh, who looks at them, forehead knit in confusion. Yancy knows the kid can read them (he'd been scary smart when he was little, just not very motivated to actually do anything with those smarts) and he waits until Raleigh looks up at him before reaching over to tug Raleigh's tags from the neck of the small sweater they'd found for him. "See?"

"How?" is all Raleigh says, and Yancy wishes he had an answer.

"I don't know, but I'm sure the good doctors," he says as he flashes them a look that promises painful death if they don't comply, "are going to figure out exactly what they did and how to reverse it."

Newt nearly trips over his own feet as he scurries over to reassure Yancy. Raleigh just glares up at him and pointedly turns his back.

"Kiddo...how about some pudding?"

 

"You know," Chuck says, eyeing Raleigh across the table as the kid wolfs down two servings of chocolate pudding, "you could always –"

"Finish that sentence, Hansen," Yancy says through gritted teeth, "and I will end you."

"It's just a thought," Chuck laughs as he holds up his hands in surrender. Then he focuses on Raleigh again. "Hey, kid, wanna see a Jaeger?"

Raleigh peers at him over another spoonful of pudding. "What's a Ja... a ja... wha's that?"

"It's a giant robot," Chuck says with far more glee than Yancy feels is warranted. "Only it's a special robot, because two people ride inside its head and pilot it."

"Ooh," Raleigh breathes. His eyes are wide and round, and Yancy knows he's hooked.

"I want him back in one piece, Hansen," Yancy calls after them as Chuck leads Raleigh away, a small hand tucked into his bigger one.

 

"Where the hell is my little brother?" Yancy grabs Chuck by his jacket and shoves him into the nearest wall.

Chuck just gives him a flat look. "In Cherno's bay."

"You handed him over to the Russians?"

"Not like they're the Russian mob, bra," Chuck says, then pauses and shrugs. "Okay, maybe she is, but he isn't. Anyway, Rals is fine. Sasha took one look at him and fucking cooed."

"She can't keep him," Yancy says, wondering if he looks as horrified as he feels. He must, because Chuck snickers.

"You tell her that."

 

"Dat's my Yancy," Raleigh says, leading Sasha and Aleksis around Cherno Alpha's foot in response to Yancy calling his name.

"Is he a good big brother?" Sasha asks, eyeing Yancy.

And yeah, they're friendly and all, but Yancy breaks out in a cold sweat at that look and tries to remember if he'd done anything particularly nasty to Raleigh when he was that age. He doesn't think so, but Raleigh had always had a creative imagination.

"Da best!" Raleigh crows. He releases their hands and scampers to Yancy, attempting to climb his leg. He giggles when Yancy scoops him up and tosses him into the air. "Again, again!"

"Bath time, kiddo."

"NO!" Raleigh plants his hands against Yancy's shoulders and shoves, locking his elbows and arching his back at an extreme angle as he tries to wriggle from Yancy's grasp. "Don' wanna!"

"You've been playing with Jaegers all day," Yancy points out, eyeing the streak of grease adorning Raleigh's cheek. "You're a filthy little rug rat."

"Not!"

The Russians' laughter rings through Scramble Alley as Yancy hoists Raleigh over his shoulder and starts back towards their quarters.

 

"He's not bad for an ankle biter," Chuck says, sprawled on the sofa in Raleigh and Yancy's quarters as Raleigh and Max roll around on the floor. "Gonna need another bath, though."

"You can give it to him, then," Yancy grumbles, shoving still damp strands of hair from his forehead. Raleigh had soaked him when Yancy had dumped him in the tub. Only the promise of a visit from Chuck and Max had kept the kid there.

"Like hell," Chuck laughs. He kicks at Yancy's foot. "The last thing I need is your brother remembering me giving him a bath when he's back to normal."

And yeah, okay, Yancy had to admit that Chuck had a point. Still, though. "It's your dog."

"Your little brother," Chuck shoots back, all dimples as he flashes that cocksure grin.

"Asshole," Yancy mutters, not quite under his breath.

Chuck fucking beams. "Cunt."

"Whassa cunt?" Raleigh asks, appearing between them as if by magic.

"Chuck?" Yancy asks with a smirk as Chuck flushes.

"Uh, I'll tell you when you're older, kid."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chuck's old man is friends with Richard Becket. When their families get together, Chuck is always the youngest and it sucks. Until they're older and it doesn't.

Hercules Hansen and Richard Becket have known each other a long time. Herc is in the RAAF and Richard is an engineer, so their paths will cross all over the world.

The friendship endures even after Herc gets out of the military in order to spend more time with his young wife and their small son. Richard understands, because he has two of his own back in Anchorage. Vacations and visits are planned, but real life interferes as it always does, and those plans have to be postponed.

So by the time Chuck Hansen meets Raleigh and Yancy Becket, he is five and they are ten and thirteen respectively.

As first meetings go...

It sucks.

 

Chuck is little, but he's smart and he's a scrapper. He's not afraid of taking on kids much bigger than he is if he thinks it's warranted. Unfortunately, it seems to be warranted a lot.

That aspect of his personality amuses Yancy and annoys Raleigh (but only because he's the one who keeps butting heads with the kid).

It doesn't help that Chuck idolizes Raleigh and worships Yancy and they treat him like an annoying kid brother (something with which Yancy has a lot of practice, and Raleigh learned at Yancy's knee).

Herc and Angela and Richard and Dominique laugh over it, because they know it will all change in a few years. Even if Chuck doesn't believe Herc or Angela when they tell him that.

 

Real life interferes again, and the next mutual vacation is a long time coming.

Chuck is ten, Raleigh is fifteen, and Yancy is eighteen.

Yancy wants nothing to do with either of them the entire trip because there are girls at the ski lodge and they're just dumb kids (that comment is overheard by his mother, who threatens to ground him for the duration of the trip until he grudgingly apologizes).

Chuck and Raleigh band together to make Yancy's life a living hell.

But then Yancy catches them, and Raleigh switches sides like the traitor he is, and Chuck ends up buried in the snow. It's cold and wet and miserable, and it sucks so much that he can't find the words to express just how much.

He flings handfuls of snow at them as he stalks into the lodge to cuddle with his new puppy, Max.

 

The next vacation is in South Africa and it's hotter than Hell. Chuck is fifteen, Raleigh is twenty, and Yancy is twenty-three.

For Chuck, it's like he's five years old all over again.

Raleigh and Yancy can drink, there are more girls, and the Becket brothers are attractive (a fact that Chuck notices rather enthusiastically, much to his embarrassment). They use that attractiveness ruthlessly. And Chuck still idolizes Raleigh and worships Yancy, only now he's stuck at the villa with the parents and only Max to keep him company.

He spends two days not talking to either of the brothers and only gives in when his mum asks if he feels okay.

He doesn't, but he's not going to admit it to her. Raleigh and Yancy make him feel funny inside, in a way he knows most people don't consider 'normal' and he knows he wouldn't be able to withstand their teasing on the matter.

So he keeps it to himself and finds places to hide away from the two of them.

 

The next year's vacation gets cancelled because there's been an accident.

Yancy's in the hospital in a coma and the Beckets won't leave the city. So Herc and Angela pack up Chuck and Max and fly halfway around the world to lend what support they can.

Chuck is sixteen and Raleigh is twenty-one, and Yancy may not see twenty-five.

Chuck's too old to cry, but Raleigh isn't, and Chuck finds him in an empty room in the hospital curled up on a bed and sobbing into the pillow. With only a little urging, Raleigh twists to wrap around Chuck, his tears quickly wetting the shoulder and sleeve of Chuck's sweater.

For the first time in eleven years, Chuck doesn't feel like the baby of the group.

It still sucks, though.

 

It's a long time coming, but the first time the Beckets set foot on Australian soil, Chuck is twenty-one and Raleigh is twenty-six. Yancy is twenty-nine, requires a cane to walk, and sometimes forgets things right after he says them.

Chuck still worships him and idolizes Raleigh.

And the Becket brothers treat him like an adult. Chuck's not quite sure how to handle that. So he says stupid things and embarrasses himself as they laugh. But Yancy pulls him in for a tight hug and Raleigh ruffles his hair, and Chuck shoves down his body's instinctual reaction.

The first time Chuck tastes tequila, it's because the flavor lingers on Raleigh's tongue as he licks at the inside of Chuck's mouth while Yancy slides warm hands beneath Chuck's t-shirt.

The second time he tastes it, he gasps as Yancy swoops in to suck the shot from his lips as Raleigh's hands settle on his hips.

And the first time Chuck realizes he's in love with them, they're on the back porch of his parents' house, squashed together in the creaky old swing while the moon rises full and bright, and Yancy breathes soft words into his hair as Raleigh tells him that he's beautiful.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU where Raleigh isn't drift compatible with Mako but is with Herc or Chuck.

After the impromptu Kwoon match with Mako, Raleigh knows he's found his co-pilot. For the first time in years, he's actually excited.

And then they strap into Gipsy's Conn-Pod and things go south so fast that Raleigh can't stop it. All he can do is react. They don't even reach full alignment before Mako chases a RABIT and Raleigh's yanked along for the ride.

When they step out of the drivesuit room and find Tendo there, the look on his face tells Raleigh everything he needs to know.

"We're not compatible," Raleigh says quietly, aware of Mako's stiff posture at his side.

Tendo just shakes his head, gives Mako a gentle look, and rubs the back of his neck. "You only reached 78% before you both went out of alignment. That's not high enough –"

"I know," Raleigh snapped before taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I didn't –"

"I know, kid. The Marshal wants you back in the Kwoon."

"More testing?" It's not like Raleigh didn't expect it. But he can't figure out just with whom he's supposed to test.

"Experienced pilots this time."

Mako and Raleigh share a long look before she shakes her head and walks away.

 

The Wei triplets go down in rapid succession. Their fighting style is too similar to Mako's, and Raleigh's been in her head.

The Kaidanovskys refuse, and Raleigh can't blame them. If it had been him and Yancy in the same situation, they'd've refused, too.

Of all the pilots left, Herc is the best possibility. He's piloted with more than one person, and he's tested with even more. But the old war dog just stands on the side of the mat and watches as Chuck steps forward, smirk in place and bo staff in hand.

Great, Raleigh thinks as the Marshal gives them the signal to begin.

Chuck is all strength and unrelenting attack, much like a boulder rolling down a mountain. Raleigh's only slightly surprised when he ends up on his back and Chuck calls the first point with a sneer.

Challenge accepted.

Raleigh bounces back to his feet, takes his position, and lashes out before Chuck can set himself. His staff gently taps the side of Chuck's throat.

One-one.

The glare that Chuck gives him is priceless, and Raleigh laughs. The sound, bright and clear and free, echoes through the room, and Chuck stares at him.

When he moves again, Raleigh can see why so many people call Chuck the best pilot the Academy ever produced. The kid is all brawl and brawn, sure, but he's got a sense of tactics and strategy like Raleigh has only seen once before.

And as they move around the mat, dancing and twirling, leaping and lunging, desperately trying to score a second point, Raleigh knows he can match this style. Chuck fights like Yancy did.

Finally, fifteen minutes later, the Marshall calls a halt to it.

The score is still one-one, and both men are breathing hard and covered in sweat.

But there's respect in Chuck's eyes now when he looks at Raleigh. And a broad grin on Raleigh's face when he holds out his fist and Chuck bangs his against it.

Pentecost studies them for a moment, then tells them to get cleaned up and suited up and report to Scramble Alley.

 

An hour later, no one – especially not Raleigh or Chuck – is surprised when they sync seamlessly and reach a 98% alignment. It's the same percentage that Chuck carries with his father, the same that Raleigh carried with Yancy. Only the Kaidanovskys have ever achieved higher.

And when Striker Eureka makes her first move, curling one hand into a fist and clasping the other over it, Raleigh's bright laughter is echoed in the Drift by Chuck's.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both Raleigh and Yancy are trying to woo Herc but then when they realize he's with Chuck they're like "Oh. Well then." and start trying to woo them both?
> 
> This one includes both Hansencest and Becketcest.

"You have the look of a man who just got shot down in the most humiliating way possible," Raleigh says as Yancy slinks into their shared quarters.

Yancy gives him a sour look before he climbs up onto his bunk.

Not at all deterred by Yancy's potentially foul mood (honestly, it can't be any worse than some of Yancy's moods when Raleigh hit puberty), Raleigh lays back and kicks at the bottom of Yancy's bunk. "C'mon, bro, talk to me. Was it Herc?"

"Shut up."

Another kick and Yancy's face appears over the edge of the bed. His expression is gloriously bitchy. Raleigh grins. "It was Herc. What happened to 'no worries, kid, I got this under control'?"

"That's what I don't get," Yancy says as he makes a pained face. "He seemed so receptive in Manila."

"Manila was a long time ago," Raleigh points out, feeling more than a little smug at Yancy striking out. "People change. Maybe you're not his type now."

"Oh, and you are?" One eyebrow goes up, followed by the other when Raleigh nods. "Bring it."

"I'll be sure to fill you in on all the details."

 

"That's the face of a man," Yancy says to Tendo as Raleigh slumps into the seat across the table, "who just got told no."

"You could be right," Tendo agrees, flashing a wide grin when Raleigh glares at him.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"I take it Herc was immune to your puppy eyes?"

Tendo chokes on his bagel as Raleigh lifts a finger in response.

"Face it, kid, you don't have what it takes, either."

"It's not that," Raleigh protests, resting his elbows on the table and dropping his head into his hands. "He seemed like he was into it and then it just kinda went..." He trails off and makes an odd gesture with one hand.

"Herc?" Tendo asks when he finally quits coughing. Both Beckets ignore him.

"And then," Raleigh says, dropping his hands and lifting his head, grimacing when Yancy whistles at the black eye Raleigh now sports, "Chuck fucking punched me. For no reason."

"He snarled at me yesterday."

"Ah," Tendo says, words muffled by the hand over his mouth, but his eyes dance with an unholy glee. "Chuck's a little, uh, possessive."

"Possess..." Yancy's eyes go wide just as Raleigh's head jerks up again. "No."

"No," Raleigh says, violently shaking his head and then stopping just as abruptly. "No."

He and Yancy share a long look as Tendo pats Yancy on the back and gets up from the table. "You don't think..."

"Well, we have," Raleigh admits, rubbing a hand over his face and wincing as he drags over the bruise forming on his cheekbone. "It's possible."

"Huh." Yancy's eyes unfocus as he stares at nothing. Then his gaze sharpens and narrows in on Raleigh. "We could –"

"We could," Raleigh nods, giving it serious thought. "Both of them?"

"Why not? Two of us, right?"

"True."

Raleigh reaches across the table and they bump fists, grinning and laughing likes loons as they do so. Then they stand and move as one, heading out of the mess in search of the Hansens.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I was dreaming for so long..."

Two days after Pitfall, the monitors in LOCCENT pick up a third escape pod. The signal is intermittent, weak, but it feels as if the entire Shatterdome holds its collective breath as Herc orders out the choppers.

Raleigh and Mako share a long look before heading out to the landing pad.

It will be hours before the choppers land, but they're determined to stand there until the pod is on the ground.

 

Chuck requires four surgeries in five days after they cut him out of the pod.

The doctors are gentle, but realistic when they talk to Herc: the prognosis isn't good. Herc just nods and keeps his gaze on the bed.

Raleigh whispers to Mako that he won't let Herc regain his son just to bury him. Mako nods and looks fiercer than Raleigh has ever seen.

 

They take turns, the two of them. When Herc is forced from the hospital room on business matters, Raleigh and Mako take his place.

The days slide into weeks and Chuck remains in a coma. The surgeons were able to save his legs, but they have no idea if he'll actually be able to use them once he wakes. If he wakes.

Mako snarls at them in Japanese and her word choice leaves Raleigh wide-eyed.

He just watches in silence as she throws the physical therapist from the room and takes over Chuck's exercises herself.

 

They make noise every second they're in the room with him.

Raleigh reads out loud, picking the books he never had time to read. He starts with _The Fault in Our Stars_ and apologizes to Chuck when he's finished. To lighten the mood (and to make Mako stop looking at him like that), he switches to _The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy_.

It's a wise decision.

 

Mako sings as she works Chuck's arms and legs. She tells Raleigh that they're songs her mother sang to her when she was little.

All the words are in Japanese, but Raleigh sings along when he can.

They're all silly little songs for the most part, but they help to keep their spirits up.

 

Two months and Chuck is moved to a rehab center.

He's still in a coma, but Mako and Raleigh only leave his side if Herc is there. And Herc is there every night, Max at his feet, to talk to the silence as the night stretches on.

He falls asleep well after midnight, but always jerks awake before the first nurse comes in at 0700.

 

The months slide by and Raleigh keeps reading and Mako keeps singing and Herc keeps talking about everything and nothing.

Chuck's birthday creeps up on them, but Herc remembers at the last moment.

There's a cake and presents (they tell themselves that he'll open them when he wakes up, not if) and Max wears a party hat. They sing "Happy Birthday" and Herc blows out the candles. No one asks what he wished for, because they're all wishing the same thing.

 

Three days later, Raleigh is reading _The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo_ when Mako leaves in search of lunch.

"Ray?"

The broken, hoarse whisper startles Raleigh so badly that he drops the book. For several seconds, all he can do is stare. Then he stands and stares some more.

Dazed green eyes track his every movement as he pinches himself.

 

"You have terrible taste in literature," Chuck says later that night, watching Raleigh from where he's propped up on his pillows.

Raleigh feels the blush creep across his face as Mako and Herc laugh.

"Really?" Chuck asks, cocking his head as he holds the last wrapped birthday present in his lap. "You started with John Green? The fuck is wrong with you, mate?"

"You know what I read to you?" Raleigh's eyes go wide with shock. He's always been told that coma patients can hear you, but he's never seen any proof. Before now.

"I..." Chuck swallows, rubs a shaking hand over his face as Herc grips the other tight. "I think so? I mean... I dreamed you read to me. And Mako... Mako sang, I think. I was dreaming for so long..."

Raleigh lets out a high, giddy laugh and collapses into a chair as Herc drops his head onto the edge of Chuck's bed.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Say you’ll stay.”

The first time it happens, Chuck doesn't think anything of it. After all, it's not like he's ever stuck around after the sex was done. And he's not exactly expecting Raleigh to.

He just grunts as Raleigh mumbles something and gets up, then rolls to his side and ignores how cold his back feels.

 

The fourth time it happens, Chuck admits (if just to himself) that he was kinda hoping Raleigh would stick around for a bit. After all, they were both young and a second go wasn't out of the question. Chuck had actually been looking forward to it.

But he doesn't say anything as he listens to Raleigh get dressed and slip out of his room.

 

The tenth time it happens, Chuck doesn't make a sound, but he immediately rolls to face the wall the second Raleigh reaches for his clothes. He locks the angry words behind his teeth and stares at the wall in front of him with dry, burning eyes.

The hard ache in his chest will go away.

 

The next time, the room is pitch black and Chuck reaches out when Raleigh sits up. His fingers curl around Raleigh's wrist, holding it in place and Raleigh stops moving.

"You don't have to leave."

"Your dad –"

Chuck's laugh is short and harsh and he snatches his hand from Raleigh's wrist. "He already knows. He's known since the first time."

"Oh. I didn't think –"

"No, guess not." Chuck rolls away once again, yanking the blanket up around his shoulders, his body curling in on itself. "Well, go on then."

Raleigh's breathing is loud in the darkness. He still doesn't move. "Do you want me to?"

It's on the tip of Chuck's tongue to tell him to get the fuck out, but he swallows those words. Instead, he whispers "stay" and silently curses himself for doing so.

"Chuck?"

"Say you'll stay," Chuck says, holding every muscle perfectly still. He even holds his breath.

That breath is released on a soft sigh when the mattress shifts and Raleigh stretches out behind him, arms wrapping around Chuck's waist and pulling him close. "All you had to do was ask."

Chuck doesn't say anything, but he smiles as his eyes close and his body relaxes against Raleigh's.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Come on lets go and play!

Second graders shouldn't have this much homework, Yancy tells himself as he glares at the paper of math problems in front of him. Heaving a long suffering sigh, he picks up his pencil and starts to work. With the tip of his tongue poking out of the side of his mouth, he takes his time and tries to write his answers as neatly as possible.

"You wanna play?"

Yancy looks up to see Raleigh's eyes peeping at him over the edge of the table. His little brother is four and spends four hours a day at pre-school. And right now, he's all blond fuzzy hair and big blue eyes, but Yancy knows he's smiling.

"Can't, Rals," he says, turning his attention back to his paper. "Homework."

Once he's finished with the math, Yancy moves onto his reading exercises. His mouth moves as he reads and, once again, he takes his time with his answers. He's halfway through the next to last question when the paper is snatched out of his hand.

"Come on," Raleigh says, darting just out of Yancy's reach, "let's go play!"

"Rals..." Yancy makes an annoyed sound and lunges for the paper. But Raleigh is quick for all that he's a full head shorter than Yancy. They chase each other around the table for several minutes before Yancy thinks to reverse direction.

They crash into each other and tumble to the floor. Yancy is quick to grab his homework. "Raleigh, I can't play right now," he snaps as he straightens the creases in the paper. "I have homework."

Raleigh sits there for a long moment, looking up at Yancy with big, blue, puppy eyes. Then he quietly picks himself up and trudges outside.

Yancy watches him go. Then he shakes his head and sits back at the table. But he can't focus on the paper in front of him. The words blur together.

Pressing his lips together, Yancy picks up his pencil and tries to read the question again.

His eyes stray to the window overlooking the back yard.

He can see Raleigh there, sitting in the grass with his toy soldiers and robots, his stuffed dinosaur nestled against his side. As Yancy watches, Raleigh's small hands nudge at the robots until one falls over and then Raleigh just looks at it. Then Raleigh pulls his knees up, rests his chin on them, and wraps his arms around his legs.

Yancy looks at his homework again. He looks at it for a long time. Then he carefully sets it aside.

His little brother is only four.

"Hey," he calls as he steps outside, smiling as Raleigh's head jerks up, "I heard there's a Raleighsaurus Rex around here."

Just like that, Raleigh is all smiles and sunshine as he jumps to his feet, tiny fingers hooked into claws as he does his best dinosaur roar.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “If our love’s insanity, why are you my clarity?”

"I can't do this anymore."

Chuck froze with his shirt half off. Letting the hem of it fall again, he stared at Raleigh. "Can't do what?"

"This." Raleigh gestured between them, somehow including the bed in the gesture. "All of it."

"All of it," Chuck repeated, a sinking feeling in his stomach. "All of...us?"

Raleigh nodded and looked away, raking a hand through his hair. "I just. This is insane, Chuck."

"Oh." Swallowing, Chuck tugged his shirt back into place and looked everywhere but at Raleigh. "So, um. What brought this on? Did I do something?"

"No, just..." Again with the gesture and Raleigh looked at the bed as if it had personally offended him. "It's just that you're you, y'know? You're Chuck Hansen and you've got so many goddamn issues that I don't even know how to start listing them."

Chuck reared back, stung by that because yeah, he had his fucking issues (everyone who'd been on the front lines of the kaiju war did), but he thought he'd made some pretty damn good progress getting over them in the last year. Apparently not.

"And me –" Raleigh stopped and made a sharp sound as he shook his head. "I'm so fucked up that I can't tell you if it's me talking or Yancy. I don't. I'm not good for anyone. That's why this is insane."

"If our love's insanity, why are you my clarity?" The words slipped out before Chuck could stop them and he silently cursed himself.

Raleigh's head snapped up so fast that Chuck thought he might have hurt himself. "What?"

"Nothing," Chuck muttered as he turned towards the door. Then he stopped and spun back to face Raleigh. "No, you know what, fuck you, Ray. You don't get to decide what's good for me."

"Wait," Raleigh said, stepping closer, his mouth a soft line now, his eyes wide. "Go back. You said –"

"I fucking love you, okay, is that what you want to hear? Stupid fucking wanker," Chuck snarled, trying to back away as Raleigh came even closer. He stopped when his back hit the wall and Raleigh pinned him in place.

"You've never said that before," Raleigh whispered, his voice so raw that Chuck had to look away.

"Didn't think I had to. Aren't you the one always going on about how it's more important to show it?"

"Yeah, but sometimes," Raleigh said, cupping Chuck's jaw with one hand and tilting his head up so Chuck was forced to look at him, "it's nice to hear it, you dumb cunt."

"Don't go trying to sweet talk me," Chuck said. He held himself very still, eyes locked on Raleigh's. "I'm mad at you."

"I know," Raleigh said, smiling as he brushed his lips over Chuck's. "I love you, too."


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Where do you think you're going, baby?'

It's not often that Chuck wakes before Raleigh. Fucker really is like a puppy, awake at sunrise and ready to play, and Chuck usually has to fend him off with a pillow and a snarl.

But this morning, Chuck opens his eyes just as the sky is lightening towards silver and he takes advantage of it.

Rolling to his side, he props up on one elbow and watches Raleigh sleep. And yeah, okay, maybe it's a little creepy, but the silly dope will probably just smile and think it's romantic when he wakes up – even though Chuck's told him more than once that he doesn't really do romance. Whatever.

Raleigh looks years younger in his sleep, all the lines etched by grief and the war fading, the hard lines of his face softening just a little, his body loose and lax as he sprawls across the mattress. He takes up more than his fair share of the bed, but Chuck doesn't mind.

As Chuck watches, Raleigh twitches and kicks the sheet to the floor. And fuck if that isn't just glorious.

Miles of lightly tanned skin and lean muscles and Chuck's gaze drinks in every inch.

Then, as if on cue, Raleigh's lashes flutter, his eyes open, and he smiles up at Chuck. "Mmm."

"Mmm yourself," Chuck laughs, leaning in to brush a kiss to the corner of Raleigh's mouth.

Raleigh pats at him, managing to actually connect a time or two, and Chuck can't help grinning at just how adorable he is. But then Raleigh shifts and tries to climb from the bed.

And that won't do at all.

Chuck reaches out, yanks him back down, and moves to cover him. Raleigh makes a face and tries to wriggle free.

"Chuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck..."

The word changes to a low moan when Chuck rolls his hips, bringing his erection into direct contact with Raleigh's half-hard length. "Where you going, baby," Chuck murmurs, leaning in to run his tongue up Raleigh's throat before sucking a mark into the warm skin beneath his jaw. "I got plans for you this morning."

"You do, huh." And fuck if Raleigh's voice all breathless and raspy like that isn't a direct line to Chuck's dick. "And these are?"

Chuck laughs, rolling his hips again. "Thought I'd make you scream my name, love. You up for that?"

Blue eyes go hooded and Raleigh flexes up against Chuck. "Bring it, Hansen, if you think you're man enough."


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You've begun to feel like home

Five years after Knifehead, Yancy still walks with a limp. He always will. He's accepted that. Just like he's accepted that Raleigh is still going out there, still fighting kaiju, still putting his life on the line each time the Breach alarm screams through the Shatterdome.

Though now Raleigh does it in a new Jaeger because Gipsy was just too damaged. And he does it with a new co-pilot, because Marshal Pentecost had the brilliant idea to throw him right into compatibility testing after he recovered from his own injuries.

Funny how the Marshal had presented just one candidate and they'd synced so fast that it had made Yancy dizzy from where he sat in the wheelchair with his leg in a cast to the hip.

And funny how now, five years later, Chuck Hansen was a far different person than the kid who had graduated from the Academy all brashness and anger and attitude. And it was all Raleigh's fault.

Watching the two of them curled together on a pile of pillows on the floor, giggling at whatever had just happened on the television, Yancy tried to remember the last time he had seen Chuck angry outside of the Conn-Pod. He couldn't.

His focus was shattered as Herc sat down beside him, draped an arm around his shoulders and handed him a beer. "Penny for your thoughts," Herc said, pressing a kiss to Yancy's temple.

"Just thinking," Yancy said, slumping so his weight rested firmly against Herc's side, "about how Sydney's nothing like Anchorage."

"S'truth," Herc laughed, tapping his bottle to Yancy's as Raleigh and Chuck looked at them and then rolled their eyes in unison.

Brats.

Yancy picked up another pillow and launched it at them, laughing as it hit Raleigh in the face and Chuck burst out laughing. No, Sydney was nothing like Anchorage, but being there with Herc and Raleigh with Chuck, well. It had begun to feel like home.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mundane/Domestic!AU

"Honey, I'm home!"

"Did you –"

Raleigh holds up the grocery bags in his hands when Chuck peeks out from the kitchen. "Milk, eggs, coffee, Tim Tams, and there's a box of diapers in the car."

"Oh, thank God. He's almost out."

"Can't have that, can we." Raleigh smiles and presses a kiss to the corner of Chuck's mouth. He sets the bags on the counter and steps in close, one arm snaking around Chuck's waist. "He asleep?"

Chuck shakes his head, pulling out the edge of the sling that crosses his chest. Bright blue eyes stare up at them, and then little Yancy's face twists into a toothless grin when he sees Raleigh. "Just woke up a bit ago," Chuck says as Raleigh reaches in to trace a finger over a soft cheek. "He likes being in there, though, so I thought I'd leave him while I worked on dinner."

"Here, let me take him for a bit." The transfer is accomplished with minimal fuss and then the sling is across Raleigh with two month old Yancy safely cradled inside. "What're we having?"

"Beef stew and fresh bread." Chuck starts transferring the groceries to the fridge, leaving the Tim Tams on the counter.

"You baked?" Raleigh grins when Chuck nods. He presses a quick kiss to Chuck's nape. "Fuck, I love you."

"I know," Chuck says, looking over his shoulder with a soft smile. "There's time before it's ready if you wanted to give him his bath."

"That sound good, Yance?" Raleigh asks the baby, who just keeps smiling. "Want daddy to give you a bath? Play in the water for a bit?"

"Goofball," Chuck says with a fond laugh as he kisses Raleigh and then gives him a gentle shove in the direction of the door. "Go. Bath. And maybe I'll let you give me one later."

And that, Raleigh thinks as he carries their son to the bathroom, sounds like a pretty good way to end the day.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prison!AU

"You're Herc Hansen's kid, aren't you?"

Chuck looks up from where he's stretched out on the bottom bunk and meets his cellmate's icy blue gaze. "What if I am?"

"Your old man know you're in here?"

"Haven't talked to him in over a year." He watches as the man – Raleigh, his fucking name is Raleigh – rests his forearms on the top bunk and studies Chuck. The orange jumpsuit they all wear stretches across his chest and shoulders, clings to his biceps and thighs, and he shouldn't look that good in it.

"I'm gonna take that as a no, then."

"What's it to ya?"

Raleigh pushes away from the bunk and flashes a sharp grin. That stupid beard on his face shouldn't look that good, either. Chuck doesn't even like beards. "My brother, Yancy, and me, we owe your old man a big one."

"So, what, you're gonna look out for me, hope I put in a good word for you or something?" Chuck sneers, not bothering to tell Raleigh that it'll be a cold day in Hell before he does that. Raleigh and his brother will just have settle their score themselves. "Don't waste your time, mate."

"You're what? Eighteen? Nineteen?"

"Twenty-one," Chuck snaps, bouncing his feet so he's standing nose to nose with the idiot who won't shut up. "Again, asshole, what's it to you?"

"You're young and pretty," Raleigh drawls, putting a hard emphasis on that last word, "and I know a first-timer when I see one. All that attitude, man, and someone's gonna put your mouth to better use whether you want 'em to or not."

Chuck feels the flush creep up his throat and across his cheeks, but he doesn't back down. "And I suppose you're gonna stop 'em when they come for me?"

"No," Raleigh says. He moves and, Jesus fuck, he's fast. Before Chuck's brain can quite register it, Raleigh's hand is snaked around the back of Chuck's neck and he's yanked forward against a hard chest. "My brother and me, we're gonna make sure they don't think about it in the first place."


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens in Vegas

The first thing that Raleigh notices when he opens his eyes is that the sun peeking through the hotel curtains is far too bright. The second thing he notices is that his mouth tastes like week old dirty gym socks. The third is that a drum line is keeping time in his head. And there might possibly be a tuba section in there, too.

The fourth thing he doesn't notice until he tries to roll out of bed.

That's when he realizes that his left leg is pinned down by another leg – not his – and that a muscular arm is flung over his waist. Raleigh goes completely still, breathing slowly, and searches his memory.

His eyes shift to the left and all the air rushes from his lungs. He can't see the face, but he doesn't need to – he can see a head full of messy auburn hair and broad shoulders spattered with freckles. Which can only mean one thing.

At some point during the previous evening – and Raleigh's still coming up blank on everything after the first casino – he and Chuck fucking Hansen had started their little tap dancing around each other again.

Freeing his arm from beneath the pillow, Raleigh carefully lifts the sheet and looks beneath it. A small grimace crosses his face. Neither one of them is wearing a single stitch of clothing and Raleigh's seen enough dried come and lube before to know when it's on his skin.

Which just means that not only had they started their little dance, but they'd given in to it as well.

Which also means he's never going to hear the end of it from Yancy or Herc.

When he reaches up to rub his face, a flash of gold in the light distracts him. Holding his hand out far enough that he can actually focus his gaze on it, Raleigh's eyes widen in horror.

There's a plain gold band on his left ring finger.

"Oh, fuck me," Raleigh groans.

Chuck stirs, shifting closer, his hand sliding up to rest on Raleigh's chest as he turns enough to press his face into Raleigh's neck. "Fuck off," he mutters, "m'sleeping."

That's when Raleigh sees the matching ring on Chuck's hand, confirming his worst thought.

"Chuck," he says, his voice little more than a hiss, "Chuck! Wake the fuck up!"

"Piss off," Chuck growls, then lets out a pained sound as he clutches his head. "The fuck..."

"You need to wake up."

Raleigh can see the exact second that his voice registers through Chuck's hangover. That tousled head lifts slowly until Chuck is staring at him. "What the fuck," Chuck says slowly, "are you doing in my bed?"

"I think it's my bed," Raleigh says, trying not to laugh at the black look Chuck gives him. "And, um, I think we got married last night?"

At that, Chuck bolts up and stops with a sharp hiss. Slumping back to the bed, he buries his face in a pillow. "Jesusdidy'havet'fuckmesohardlastnight?"

His voice is muffled and it takes Raleigh a few seconds to sort out his words. When he does, his eyebrows go up. "What makes you think it wasn't the other way around?"

Chuck lifts his head and glares at him. "Mate, the fuck makes you think I don't know when I've been folded in half and pounded through the fucking mattress?"

Raleigh presses his lips together and tries. He really tries. But the absurdity of the situation is too much. Chuck hits him. And when Raleigh curls up into a little ball, wheezing for air because he's laughing too hard to breathe, Chuck hits him again.

They end up tussling until they fall off the bed and land in a heap on the floor. Raleigh looks up at Chuck and grins. "You could always return the favor."

"Wanker," Chuck snarls, but there's no heat in it. And when he shifts to roll off Raleigh, they both freeze and lock eyes.

Huh.

Maybe being married isn't going to be such a bad thing after all. Even if Yancy and Herc are never, ever going to let them live it down.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “life or death duel”

Raleigh lounged in his chair, one leather clad leg slung over the arm, booted foot kicking idly, and smiled as the courtier tried to flirt with him. Usually the new ones went for Yancy because they couldn't seem to believe his reputation. Most of them ended up slinking back to their rooms in tears.

But this one had zeroed in on Raleigh.

"While your offer is...fascinating," he drawled, leather creaking as he shifted, "I have to –"

"Oi!" As if on cue, the angry voice split the chatter in the throne room. Raleigh flicked his gaze up and locked eyes with Chuck across the scattered crowd. And my, my, my, his little koala was angry.

That was something he didn't see every day.

With calculated deliberateness, Raleigh reached out and ran his fingers along the young man's arm, tongue sliding over his bottom lip when a murderous look crossed Chuck's face.

How about that. His little koala wasn't just angry, he was _pissed_.

"Hands off, you fucking wanker," Chuck snarled, grabbing the courtier's wrist and practically flinging him from Raleigh's side.

A soft laugh at Raleigh's back told him that Yancy had arrived and was watching.

"Chuck," Raleigh began, making his voice as soothing as he could, and smiling wide when Chuck turned on him.

"Piss off, I know what you're doing."

"Come on, love." Raleigh lifted his hand and gestured. "Come sit with me and calm down. You know I'd –"

Before Raleigh could get the words out, the courtier was back, crowding into Chuck's personal space, shoving at Raleigh's pet like he had the right. Yancy's hand on Raleigh's shoulder was the only thing that kept him in his seat.

"See what he does," Yancy whispered, then straightened again.

The rest of the court had drawn back, forming a clear space in front of the dais, and Raleigh could feel Stacker's eyes on him from the throne. He simply shifted again, rested his chin on his fist, and affected a bored expression.

Almost too fast to register, Chuck's fist flashed out, slamming into the other man's jaw. As he stumbled back, Chuck followed him, ceremonial dagger already in his hand. The courtier drew his own dagger to meet him.

Raleigh settled back to watch them dance.

And fuck, but Chuck in motion like that was still the most beautiful thing Raleigh had ever seen. His booted feet made little sound on the marble floor as they twirled and lunged, each trying to gain an advantage. Raleigh lost precious seconds of the duel as he admired the way the leather trousers cupped Chuck's thighs and ass, the way the silk of his tunic flowed around his torso.

That silk parted across his chest with a whisper of sound as the dagger came far too close. Every muscle in Raleigh's body tensed, but Yancy's hand came down on his shoulder once more.

With an almost inhuman growl, Chuck exploded into motion, spinning and slashing, drawing gasps from the watching throng. Then his booted heel came down on the back of the courtier's knee.

When the man crumpled to the floor, Raleigh knew it was over.

A savage thrill rippled through him as Chuck stepped in close and curled his hand around the man's chin. With one smooth, graceful motion, Chuck yanked his head back and drew his dagger across that pale throat.

Bright red arterial blood spurted, coating Chuck's hands, spattering across his face and chest.

Then Chuck released the man and let him fall before stalking across the throne room to Raleigh without a backwards glance. When Yancy reached for his arm, Chuck bared his teeth and flashed his knife. "I belong to your brother," he spat, "and you don't get to touch, Butcher."

"Kitten has claws," Yancy laughed, but he stepped back.

Raleigh surged to his feet and pulled Chuck to him, nostrils flaring at the hot look in Chuck's eyes. He tasted copper when Chuck surged in and kissed him in front of everyone, but Raleigh didn't care.

It had taken months to tame his little koala, months to make the younger man want everything that Raleigh could give him, but every minute had been worth it.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reincarnation. One person writes and publishes a book about the other unconsciously. They meet at a book signing.

Barely looking at the teenage girl in front of him, Chuck signs the book she thrusts in front of him – Charles Hansen, with a large flourish at the end – and flashes a quick smile at her before reaching for the next book. He's two hours into a three hour signing and Q&A and he's made a dozen mental notes to throttle his agent when he sees her again.

Fucking Mako, always signing him up for these damn things when she knows he hates the publicity and the crowds and all the bullshit that goes with having a bestseller.

"You call yourself Chuck, don't you?"

The voice, a soft rasp like honeyed whiskey, pulls his head up and he stares into the bluest eyes he's ever seen. A shy smile appears as Chuck just gapes. "You do it to piss off your dad, right? Because no self-respecting Australian would use a stupid nickname like Chuck."

"How..." Chuck stops, clears his throat, tries again. "How d'you know that?"

"My name's Raleigh," the stranger says, reaching up to brush strands of blond hair from his face. "Raleigh Becket."

The name – one Chuck plucked from thin air to christen the hero of his latest book – makes his jaw drop. "No fucking way."

Just like that, an Alaskan drivers' license is placed in front of him and Chuck stares at it. Raleigh Becket, blond haired and blue eyed, all 6'1" of him, just stands and waits. Finally, Chuck lifts his gaze. "You, uh, I mean..."

"Interesting book," Raleigh says, with that shy smile again as he taps the cover of the book he's just placed on the table. "The brothers were, ah, pretty realistic. Based on someone you know?"

Chuck shakes his head slowly, his heartbeat thundering in his ears. "You don't have –"

"A brother?" The smile fades a little, and it's like a light going out in a dark room. "I did. He died in a car accident five years ago."

Something inside Chuck constricts, making breathing painful, but he manages to hold Raleigh's gaze. "His name was Yancy," he says, ignoring the mutterings in the line behind Raleigh. When Raleigh nods, all the air in Chuck's lungs vanishes in a soft exhale. "I... I've got another hour here, but after... Maybe we could get a drink. Or something."

"I'd like that," Raleigh says, flashing that shy, sweet smile again, and this time it makes something flutter inside Chuck's stomach. Without another word, Raleigh collects his license, picks up his book, and retreats to the store's café.

For the next hour, Chuck signs books and makes small talk with his fans, but his eyes constantly stray to Raleigh. And after the last book is signed and the last hand is shaken, Chuck stands and stretches, accepting thanks from the manager for the event.

When it's all over and he's alone, Chuck turns. And smiles. Raleigh is already standing, book tucked beneath his arm, smiling as he patiently waits for Chuck to join him.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lalochezia - The use of abusive language to relieve stress or ease pain.

"Goddammit!"

Raleigh paused with one hand raised to knock on the half-open door, eyebrows shooting up at the sheer amount of venom in Chuck's voice.

"It's just a scratch –"

"Fuck you, old man," Chuck snarled, and Raleigh couldn't resist. He eased into the room, taking in the sight of Chuck sitting at the table, one hand wrapped in a bloody towel as Herc hovered over him. "It's gonna need goddamn stitches. Fucking stupid motherfucking idiotic goddamn Yanks and their fucking ass-backwards technology. I'm gonna cunt punt him back to the fucking Breach."

Raleigh blinked. Herc looked up, saw him, and grimaced. "Chuck, not all –"

"Don't. Do not fucking defend that blithering idiot and his fucking – oi, Raleigh, the fuck are you just standing there for, c'mere and help me to the fucking infirmary so I can get this goddamn stitched up."

"I..." Raleigh just looked at Herc, who shrugged and made a 'he's all yours' gesture. "What?"

"Did I fucking stutter?" Chuck rolled his eyes and waved his hand in the air. "Or are you just playing deaf today, mate? My hand. Needs fucking stitches."

Raleigh's arms crossed over his chest and he stood there, glaring at Chuck. "Playing deaf?"

"Lucky I didn't ask if you were playing fucking brain damaged," Chuck snarled as he heaved himself up and stalked towards the door.

"What the hell," Raleigh snapped. He grabbed Chuck's arm and pulled him to a stop.

"He doesn't deal well with pain," Herc murmured, slipping past them and out the door before Chuck could say anything.

"Yeah, I kinda got that," Raleigh muttered as he reached for Chuck's swathed hand. "How bad is it?"

"It fucking hurts," Chuck grumbled, but he let Raleigh unwrap the towel, looking away when Raleigh whistled softly. "Look, I'm sorry –"

"S'okay," Raleigh said as he quickly rewrapped the towel and pulled Chuck towards the door. "You should've heard the pile of abuse I heaped on Yancy the time I broke my leg when I was sixteen."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I ended up with a black eye to go with the cast."


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cooking class

Trying to be subtle - shut up, Chuck can totally do subtle regardless of what his old man likes to tell everyone about that time he fell over the trash bin because he was checking out Raleigh’s ass and he totally wasn’t, but whatever - Chuck steals a glance towards Raleigh’s prep station and isn’t the least surprised to see that Raleigh is already mixing ingredients together. Figures that it’s not enough that the silly bastard is smart (and funny, don’t forget funny, oh God, because the number of times that Chuck’s stomach has hurt from laughing too much, well, he’s lost count) and gorgeous and smart and amazing in bed…no, he’s got to be great at cooking, too, and Chuck can’t remember why he suggested they take a cooking class together, because it’s not like he _likes_ to get shown up, but… Then Raleigh catches him looking and flashes that sweet smile that he has that turns Chuck’s insides to mush (something he’ll deny to his dying day) and, oh, yeah, Chuck suggested it because Raleigh likes to cook and it was the perfect birthday present, and Chuck will do pretty much anything to make Raleigh smile like that.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It ain't gonna spank itself.

Clothers were scattered all over the room. Not all of their clothes, just most of them. Yancy still had his trousers on, but they were unbuttoned and unzipped and the belt flapped around his thighs every time he moved. And Chuck was down to just his boxer briefs.

Not that either one of them was complaining.

When Yancy’s back hit the wall by the door, he reached around and grabbed two handfuls of Chuck’s ass. The feel of slick lines under his fingertips was just enough to distract him from the way Chuck’s mouth was moving down the side of his throat, leaving a line of stinging bite marks.

Those slick lines felt suspiciously like cheap screenprinting.

"Chuck…"

"Whuzzat," Chuck muttered, mouthing at Yancy’s collarbone as his hands started to slide down the back of Yancy’s trousers. It was almost enough to take Yancy’s mind off whatever it was he could feel plastered across Chuck’s ass.

Almost.

"Chuck, babe…" Yancy tried again, one hand trying in vain to catch Chuck’s. "Babe…the fuck is on your underwear?"

"Huh?"

The glazed, heated look in those blue-green eyes when Chuck lifted his head and focused on Yancy was enough to break his control. Yancy forced himself to remain on track.

He pinched one cheek and grinned when Chuck made a squawking noise. ”Your underwear. What’s on the back of it?”

The transformation on Chuck’s face, the way he blinked as a slow smile appeared, was enough to have all the blood in Yancy’s body scrambling for his crotch. That was the absolute filthiest smile Yancy had ever seen.

"Oh, that," Chuck said, like it was nothing. He took a step back, then another, and Yancy almost whined at the loss of contact. But then Chuck turned around.

There, in bold black letters that stretched across the snug white fabric cupping his ass were the words it ain’t gonna spank itself.

"Oh, fuck,” Yancy breathed, staring at the words. 

"That’s the idea, mate," Chuck said, his voice low and husky, and Yancy’s mouth when dry as Chuck slid his hands down his sides and reached back to cup his ass. "Something you might be interested in?"

"Hands on the desk." Yancy was surprised he could manage to string words together coherently.

Chuck just smirked, clearly pleased with himself, and sauntered to the desk against the far wall. He took his time and spread his legs as he bent over and gripped the edge of the desk before looking over his shoulder to Yancy. Then, that smile still firmly in place, Chuck wiggled his hips.

That was all that was needed to get Yancy moving.

The noise that Chuck made when Yancy yanked the boxer briefs below the curve of his ass and swung was the sweetest sound in the world. And as the first pink hand mark appeared in stark contrast against Chuck’s pale skin, Yancy wondered why they’d wait this long.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Can I just hug you?"

"Can I just hug you?"

Bucky stands there and stares at Steve as if he’s grown a second head. But he doesn’t move as Steve takes a few steps closer. Steve takes that as a good sign. But he freezes when Bucky’s hand twitches, fingers grazing over the knife strapped to his thigh.

"Just a hug, Buck, nothing else," Steve says, making an effort to keep his voice calm and low, his moves open and deliberate. The last thing he wants to do is trigger a flashback that will send Bucky back into Winter Soldier mode.

They’ve come too far, been through too much, and the fact that Bucky had stopped when Steve yelled his name is progress. And the fact that he’s still standing there, watching Steve intently, head tilted so his hair falls in his face, is… Well, it’s even more progress.

Usually Bucky rabbits the second Steve gets within ten feet of him.

But he’s standing there, just out of arm’s reach, and he hasn’t pulled a weapon yet.

Of course, he hasn’t said anything, either, so Steve just stays where he is, arms open and an inviting smile on his face.

Then, the movement so small that at first Steve isn’t entirely sure it happened, Bucky nods.

When his brain registers the unspoken yes, Steve’s smile blossoms into something that’s almost painful in its intensity. But he steps forward before Bucky can change his mind, his movements still small, deliberate, as non-threatening as Steve can make them.

And when his arms close around Bucky, Steve releases a small, shaky breath.

They stand there for several seconds. Bucky is tense in his grasp, but he doesn’t try to pull free. And when his arms come up and wrap around Steve in his own awkward hug, Steve closes his eyes.

But when Bucky buries his face in the warmth of Steve’s jacket collar, Steve’s entire body relaxes. And all he can do is whisper a soft “I missed you” into Bucky’s hair.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Can I keep you?"

There's something to be said for sleeping in when you can. And Chuck was a firm believer in all of them. After years of getting up before dawn because of his military training – or even worse, being woken in the middle of the night by the kaiju alarm going off – Chuck was determined to make a habit of staying in bed as long as possible.

So he wasn't exactly thrilled when his consciousness swam to the surface and his eyes opened to see the clock blinking a steady 6:13 a.m. at him.

The only good thing about it was that Raleigh had rolled into him at some point during the night and was currently doing his best imitation of a blanket. The warm weight was soothing. And when Raleigh mumbled in his sleep, Chuck just craned his neck so he could look down at him.

"Silly bastard," he murmured, one hand lifting to stroke the back of Raleigh's head. Raleigh just made a small humming noise in his throat.

Chuck shifted just far enough so he could comfortably look at Raleigh's face. Long lashes fanned over his cheekbones, twitching just a little as Raleigh dreamed. One cheek was rosy and flushed, evidence that he'd had that side pressed against Chuck's shoulder. His lips, soft and pink and slightly chapped, were parted. Once again, a familiar warmth spread through Chuck's chest.

"Can I keep you?" he whispered as he pressed a kiss to Raleigh's forehead. Raleigh just made that noise again and shifted closer until his face was pressed against the side of Chuck's neck. Chuck just smiled and closed his eyes. "Yeah, think I'll keep you."


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I wish you loved me"

If there's one thing Chuck hated, it was being ignored. Especially by the object of his attention.

After all, it wasn't like Chuck had bothered to hide the fact that he was really into Yancy Becket. That secret was blown wide open (no pun intended) the second Chuck dragged Yancy into that medical supply closet and went to his knees. Yancy had certainly been appreciative enough at the time. And hadn't bothered to keep it out of the Drift if the way Raleigh glared at Chuck two days later was any indication.

It was the first time, but it certainly wasn't the last.

That had been this morning when Chuck had surprised Yancy in the shower, early enough that the rest of the Dome was still asleep, and let Yancy fuck him up against the wall as water poured over them. But in the hours since then, Yancy had avoided him like he had the plague.

Of course, that could also have something to do with the fact that Chuck and Yancy's idiot brother had once again brawled the length of one of the Dome's hallways.

That was why Chuck was in the gym, pounding on a heavy bag until his knuckles split from the force of his blows. Bad enough that he'd let Raleigh get under his skin – and yeah, maybe it had been the other way around, Chuck couldn't remember exactly who had started it – but the fact that Herc and Yancy were the ones to break it up...

Chuck snarled a vicious curse and slammed his fist into the bag again.

"Fuck," Chuck muttered as he sucked air into his lungs. He wrapped one arm around the bag and closed his eyes. Maybe he'd read more into this than there was. Maybe the whole thing was a lot more one-sided than he'd wanted to believe. It wouldn't be the first time.

But this time... This time it was going to hurt if it was. Chuck had never really asked for much, but damn it, he'd helped save the world. He was a big goddamn hero. That meant the universe owed him a little happiness, right?

With a quiet exhale, Chuck rested his forehead against the bag. "I wish you loved me –"

"Who says I don't?"

Yancy's voice behind him made Chuck jerk away from the bag so hard he overbalanced and almost fell. But Yancy's expression when Chuck looked up wasn't smug or superior. In fact, if Chuck had to put a label on it, it would have to be sad. Or wistful.

"Who says I don't love you?" Yancy asked again as he stepped into the room and let the door swing closed behind him.

"No one."

"Then why –" Yancy shook his head and raked a hand through his hair. "Is this about what Raleigh said?"

"Your brother's an arse," Chuck said, immediately going on the defensive and glaring when Yancy chuckled softly.

"He is," he admitted as he walked to Chuck and took one of his hands. "But so are you."

"Fuck off," Chuck snarled, but there wasn't as much heat in his voice as he would have liked.

"You're such an angry little koala," Yancy said, and Chuck could hear the fondness in his voice as his face went crimson and he ducked his head. "Hey, look at me."

Gentle fingers tipped Chuck's chin up until he met Yancy's gaze. "Forget Rals, okay? He doesn't think anyone's good enough for me, alright, but he respects the fact that you're not backing down from him."

"I'll kick his arse into the Breach if –"

Yancy's lips on his cut off whatever it was Chuck had been going to say. "Let me handle Rals." Gentle fingers slid along Chuck's jaw and Yancy smiled. "And you focus on us."

"Is there an us?" Chuck asked before he could stop himself, hating how _young_ he sounded.

"There is if you want it to be. Do I need to give you my tags to prove it?"

"Oi, fuck off," Chuck said, but he couldn't help the smile that formed when Yancy laughed and pulled him closer.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Car breaks down in the middle of nowhere AU

"Well, it's gone tits up and there's not a damn thing I can do about it," Herc said. He'd spent the last forty-five minutes tinkering with the Ute's engine to no avail. The radiator wasn't leaking or steaming, the spark plugs were solidly seated, and none of the various wires looked loose.

He hadn't the first damn clue what was wrong with it other than it had shut off unexpectedly and now wouldn't start. Which wouldn't have been a problem if they weren't on the arse end of the back of beyond with absolutely no signal on their cells.

Why he'd allowed himself to get talked into this trip was something Herc was still trying to sort.

When he didn't hear a reply, Herc pulled back and peered around the still upraised bonnet. The interior of the Ute was empty, the passenger door standing wide open. Now where the hell had Scott –

A loud whoop interrupted Herc before he could finish the thought.

He stepped to the side, looked around, took another step. And saw Scott's white arse bobbing along through the high grass of the field beside the road. "What the fucking hell... Oi, Scotty! The fuck you doing?"

"Frolicking," came the immediate reply. It was accompanied by the wild, high-pitched laugh Scott got when he was feeling extra delighted with the world and his place in it.

"And you had to be starkers as the day you were hatched to do that?" Herc shook his head as he watched his brother run through the field, chasing what appeared to be butterflies.

"Too hot for clothes!" Scott stopped and turned to face Herc, hands planted on his hips. "Come on in, Herc, the water's fine."

"Scotty, you're naked," Herc pointed out, feeling the repetition was necessary. Sometimes you had to say things two or three times before Scott actually grasped them. "On the side of the fucking road."

"Herc, we haven't passed another car in hours or seen a sign of civilization in longer," Scott said, turning in a circle with his arms out in invitation for Herc to look around. When he stopped, he curled his hand around his cock and shook it in Herc's direction.

Herc wasn't at all surprised to see that Scott was already sporting wood. Silly bastard always was a bit of an exhibitionist. "Scotty –"

"Come on, bra," Scott said as he slid his hand along his length. "I'll let you hold me down and fuck me hard. No one to hear me scream out here."

Well, when he put it that way... Herc's shirt dropped beside the Ute, and he reached for the button and zip on his trousers as he started towards Scott.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something short sweet and involving cuddles, maybe even tears before cuddles...

It's not often that Raleigh has the nightmare anymore. Drifting with Mako the few times during the final days of the Kaiju War had helped to heal the rawest of the edges of his splintered psyche. Eight years spent with Chuck - one of them circling each other, two of them dating, and five married - had helped to heal the rest of it.

And while Raleigh still isn't totally whole (and he doesn't expect he ever will be), he's better. And more importantly, he's happy and healthy and _alive_.

So when he jerks awake at three in the morning in a cold sweat, body trembling, jaw aching as his teeth clench to hold back the scream that builds in his chest, all he can think is, _no, not again_. At first, he doesn't know where he is. All he can see is Yancy's terrified face in front of him as _Raleigh, listen to me_ rings in his ears. And when a hand touches his arm, Raleigh flails.

"Easy, love, I've got you," Chuck murmurs as he grabs Raleigh's hands and holds them tight. "That's it, that's right, you're okay."

Raleigh jerks, blinking rapidly as past and present overlap.

"Raleigh, you with me?" Chuck pauses as Raleigh nods, then scoots closer and tugs him back down to the bed. "Can you talk to me?"

"Y-y-yeah," Raleigh manages through chattering teeth. He squeezes his eyes shut against the hot tears that threaten.

Chuck just presses against him, drawing the covers up to their shoulders and wrapping his arms around Raleigh's body. "The dream again?"

Raleigh nods, throat too tight to speak. A small, broken noise escapes him. As Chuck slides his hands up and down Raleigh's spine, Raleigh's entire body convulses in a harsh sob. Chuck just whispers to him, rubs his back, cards his fingers through Raleigh's hair, and presses kisses to his temple.

It feels like forever before the warmth seeps into Raleigh's bones and the tears stop. He clings to Chuck, needing the comfort that only his husband can provide. Chuck, for his part, has never been stingy with that comfort.

"Sorry," Raleigh mumbles, face pressed against Chuck's chest as he tries to wriggle even closer.

"Love, you've got nothing to be sorry for." Chuck presses a kiss to the top of his head and twists a little, just enough to tangle their legs together. "I still have nightmares about my mum dying and fucking Pitfall, okay? I get it. And I still love you."

"Even though I'm a washed up old has-been?" Raleigh asks, unable to resist, and glad he did when Chuck laughs.

"Yeah, well, you're _my_ washed up old has-been, aren't you?" There's a pause. "You want to talk about it?"

Raleigh just shakes his head. Chuck doesn't press. He never does, not anymore. Instead, he respects Raleigh's silence (and Raleigh knows that it's because Chuck loves him enough to give him the space he needs). Raleigh hugs him tighter and places a soft kiss in the middle of his chest.

Chuck shifts again, this time easing down the bed until they're face to face. There's just enough light coming through the window for Raleigh to make out his features. "I love you," Chuck says, punctuating each word with a soft kiss. "So very fucking much."

"I know," Raleigh whispers as they snuggle in tight against each other. "What'd I do to ever deserve you?"

"Well, blowing up another world was pretty damn impressive," Chuck says, and his tone is so dry that Raleigh laughs so hard he snorts. Which just makes Chuck grin and kiss him again until they're both dizzy with it.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone wanted something 'even dirtier'...

"So, we got invited to an orgy."

Chuck stopped with the spoon halfway to his mouth and looked up from his bowl of Fruit Loops. "Come again?"

"We got invited to an orgy," Raleigh repeated as he dropped his keys and iPod on the table.

Of all the things that Chuck expected to hear at – he looked at the clock over the stove – eight o'clock in the morning, that wasn't even on the list. He frowned at his cereal just in case someone had sprinkled something weird on it and he was hallucinating. "An orgy."

"Yeah, Sasha caught me on my run this morning and invited us. Tomorrow night."

Chuck sat up straight and watched Raleigh pour himself a glass of orange juice. Sasha Kaidanovsky. Somehow, he wasn't surprised. What was surprising was how his dick twitched at the idea of an orgy hosted by the scary Russian woman who lived down the street with her giant of a husband, Aleksis. "Um."

"She said the triplets will be there," Raleigh said, flashing that shit-eating grin of his as he finished his juice. "Said they asked specifically if you were coming."

"They, uh." Chuck shifted in his chair, all thoughts of his cereal vanished. He cleared his throat. "They did, huh?"

Raleigh just nodded and kept grinning. Which was really unfair, because they'd _talked_ about the Weis before. More than once. And how one of the things on Chuck's list was getting fucked by the three of them at once. (He pointedly didn't remind Raleigh that his list included getting fucked by Aleksis while Sasha rode his face.)

Chuck cleared his throat again. Then he narrowed his eyes at Raleigh. "You in that big of a hurry to see me getting dicked by other guys?"

"If you're asking do I want everyone we know to see how fucking good you look when you come undone," Raleigh drawled (and fuck, that went _straight_ to Chuck's dick) as he nudged Chuck's chair away from the table and straddled his thighs, "then the answer is yes. Because baby, you are goddamn gorgeous when you're begging to come. It's criminal to keep that all to myself."

"And what about you?" Chuck's hands came to rest on Raleigh's hips as Raleigh slowly rolled those hips against his. "Do I get to watch Sasha fuck you six ways to Sunday with that giant strap-on she's rumored to have?"

"Mmhmm..." Raleigh draped his arms over Chuck's shoulders and leaned in until their lips were almost touching. "She even said we could record anything we wanted. Tendo and Alison will be there, too, and you _know_ how flexible he is."

"Did you tell her that we'd be there?" Chuck growled as he tightened his grip and dragged Raleigh flush against him until their groins were aligned. The hard length pressing against his own told Chuck that they were in agreement on this.

"With bells on," Raleigh murmured, biting at Chuck's jaw before sealing their lips together in a hard, blistering kiss. "And nothing else."

"Smart man," Chuck said as he swept his arm out and knocked his cereal bowl to the floor before surging up and tipping Raleigh back onto the table.

Raleigh just laughed, low and dirty, and reached for the front of Chuck's sleep pants.


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 3-5 sentence ficlets

_Chuck/Raleigh - Bonnie & Clyde AU (based on [this photo](http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Bonnie_and_Clyde#mediaviewer/File:BonnieParkerCigar1933.jpg))_

 

Chuck stole Raleigh’s cigar, popped in his mouth and grinned as he propped a foot on the car fender and rested an elbow on the headlamp, a pistol secure in his other hand as he posed for another photograph. ”You know we’ll be lucky to get out of this alive.”

"True, but at least we’ll go together," Raleigh said with a smile as he stepped in, crowding Chuck as he plucked the cigar from his mouth before leaning in to kiss him.

 

**

 

_Chuck/Raleigh - Firefighters AU_

 

"Chuck, goddamnit, get the hell out of there, the whole place is coming down," Raleigh screamed into the radio as the rest of the firefighters started to pull back, water continuing to spray from the hoses as they fought now just to contain the blaze, "Hansen, I swear to fuck, if you don’t -"

Someone jostled his elbow, an arm reached past him to point, and Raleigh turned his head and prayed as he saw a hazy form slowly become more solid as it moved closer, stumbling with every other step, a limp body over one shoulder, and Raleigh dropped the radio and ran to help as Chuck slid to his knees.

"Not getting -" Chuck paused and doubled over coughing as more hands pulled the last remaining tenant from his grasp while Raleigh held him up with one arm and wiped at the soot streaking his face, laughing in relief when Chuck finally grinned at him "- not getting rid of me that easy, Ray."

 

**

 

_Chuck/Yancy - "Please stay."_

 

It’s always been like this - every time they have an argument, one of them storms out and they end up not talking until Raleigh gets tired of watching Yancy mope or annoyed with the sheer amount of whining that Chuck is capable of achieving and threatens to lock them both in a very small closet if they don’t get their “shit sorted out.” All in all, it’s a very good threat, given the fact that Yancy is claustrophobic and Chuck has a deep seated fear of the spiders he’s convinced lurk in the depths of small closets, so they end up talking at each other, but not _to_ each other, so nothing gets completely sorted. But this time, Yancy’s had enough because he knows how this is going to end, and he’s just… he’s _tired_ , so when Chuck shoves away from the table, Yancy grabs his wrist in a gentle grasp and quietly says, “don’t go, babe, c’mon…please stay and let’s talk this out,” and - much to his surprise - Chuck looks at him for a long moment before sinking back into his chair. 

 

**

 

_Chuck/Raleigh - "I need this."_

 

"I need this," Chuck said, and his voice sounded so gleeful (terrifyingly so, because anyone who knew him knew it always meant trouble when he sounded like _that_ ) that Raleigh immediately looked at the laptop screen with a wary eye, and what he saw didn’t disappoint. 

"No, you don’t, absolutely not, bad idea all the way around" he said, folding the paper and setting it aside before reaching for the laptop to take it away from Chuck, because the very _last_ thing the kid needed was [a do-it-yourself rubber band gun](http://www.amazon.com/Rubber-Band-Machine-Gun-Ultimate/dp/B00KDLISJQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1404661135&sr=8-3&keywords=Rubber+Band+Machine+Gun) that looked like you could load it up with a hundred rubber bands like a machine gun…in fact, Chuck with that toy was the absolute last thing the _world_ needed, and Raleigh knew better than to indulge him because it was his ass on the line when Herc figured out just who hadn’t been able to say no to his boy.

"No, I really, _really_ do,” Chuck said and stabbed one finger at the ‘enter’ button just as Raleigh realized that he was on the _order page_ and all the pertinent shipping and payment information was entered, and he could only watch in something approaching horror as the order confirmation page appeared.

**

 

_Chuck/Raleigh - "Wait right there and don't move."_

 

"Wait right there," Chuck said, shoving Raleigh into a chair, "and _don’t move!_ ”

Raleigh stared after Chuck, confused, because he’d thought they were going out, yet there he was, parked in a chair while Chuck vanished into the back of the house with zero explanation and Max sitting at his feet looking almost as smug as Chuck could, and his smug expression seemed to grow when Raleigh reached down to scratch his ears and said, “Max, your human’s up to something, isn’t he, care to fill me in on… _oh_ …”

He trailed off, jaw dropping, as Chuck reappeared with a wriggling bundle of golden fluff, floppy ears, and big paws cradled in his arms, and then that ball of fur was in his lap and the puppy was trying to lick every inch of Raleigh’s face that he could reach, and Chuck just stood over him and grinned and said, “happy birthday.”

 

**

 

_Chuck/Raleigh - "Last time I ask you for a favor."_

 

“Last one,” Herc says as he sets the final box down in the bedroom and looks around, too obviously fighting back a grin that makes Chuck suspicious. It’s only when Herc goes back outside and Chuck takes a look at the boxes that he realizes just why his dad had been so amused (not to mention the movers when they’d arrived with all of his stuff), because the way the boxes are labeled - _Chuck’s sex toys, Chuck’s frilly panties, extra lube - DO NOT DROP, the sex swing - FRAGILE!_ \- has him blushing harder than he ever has in life.

"Oi, Becket, you asshole," Chuck yells out as he snatches open the window and leans out to see Raleigh standing in the driveway talking to Herc and the movers, "that’s the last fucking time I ask you for a goddamn favor!"

 

**

 

_Chuck/Raleigh - "Please stay."_

 

"You don’t have to go," Raleigh said as the movie credits started to roll and Chuck sat up to find his shoes. When those amazing blue-green eyes turned towards him, Chuck’s forehead was wrinkled in confusion and Raleigh just shrugged. "I mean, you don’t...I just…I kinda liked it, okay," he mumbles, referring to the psuedo-snuggling they’d been engaged in and rubbing the back of his neck as his ears start to feel hot, "so, y’know, you can…please stay, maybe?" 

 

**

 

_gen (Raleigh, Yancy, Chuck) - 3rd Becket brother Chuck with a gigantic crush on Herc_

 

At the first sound of the door opening, Chuck scrambles to gather up the magazine and slam his laptop shut, but he’s roughly three seconds too slow as two matching blond heads spill into their quarters and he knows he looks guilty as hell when Raleigh’s forehead wrinkles in confusion as Yancy’s smoothes out and a sly grin spreads across his face.

"Shut it," Chuck growls, avoiding their gazes as he starts stuffing magazines into his messenger bag and once again lamenting the fact that he’s the baby with two older brothers who are sheer assholes.

"What, I don’t -" Raleigh stops, still looking adorably confused (and Jesus fuck, he’s such a puppy), when Yancy just chuckles, shakes his head, and drops onto the end of Chuck’s bunk.

"Rals, you had to have noticed…no…well, baby bro’s got one hell of a crush on - no, no, Chuck, don’t growl at me, shit - anyway, baby bro’s crushing _hard_ on Captain Hansen,” Yancy says, deftly avoiding the pillow that Chuck launches in his direction and laughing like a goddamn hyena as Chuck’s face turns bright red and Raleigh’s eyes practically bug out of his skull, “who, conveniently enough, is coming to the Ice Box for compatibility testing after his brother got booted and - and this is the _best_ part, Chuckles, so pay attention, kiddo - Tendo showed me the list of cadets who will be testing against him, and guess who’s name is at number one…”

Chuck pops a boner so fast he immediately regrets throwing his pillow at Yancy and dives for his covers as the two assholes collapse in hysterics.

 

**

 

_Chuck/Raleigh - Avengers AU with Raleigh as Cap and Chuck as Iron Man_

 

Raleigh can feel eyes on his back as he buckles his harness into place before picking up the shield and turning. ”What?”

"Nothing," Chuck says, dimples flashing as he grins before snapping the face plate of his helmet down, the arc reactor in his chest glowing with a bright blue-white light while his armored boots clomp along the floor as he turns. "Just admiring the view, Cap, that’s all."

Feeling the flush creep across his cheeks, Raleigh yanks his own helmet on and brushes past Chuck, silently promising retribution just as soon as he can peel him out of the Mark 42 armor.

**


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chuck cries when he sees humane society commercials. There is an even bigger need for help after the war and unlike "normal" people Chuck cannot change the channel. He has to watch and the tears leak out long before the commercial ends. Raleigh is horrified the first time it happens but now he just holds Chuck and asks against his neck if he wants to start an animal sanctuary. Which makes Chuck chuckle wetly but the next day Raleigh catches him looking for land. Raleigh is in trouble...

The first time it happens, it’s three months after Pitfall and Chuck is still confined to a wheelchair (shattering both of your legs to the point of requiring multiple surgeries will do that). Raleigh walks through the door on the tail end of some sad song or other, and Chuck surreptitiously wipes his face. He just makes a face when Raleigh peers at him.

The second time is five months later, and Chuck’s been released from physical therapy and cleared for travel. They’re somewhere in the heartland of the United States, travelling because they can, and Raleigh walks in on yet another sad song. Only this time, Chuck isn’t fast enough to close the laptop or wipe his face. When Raleigh asks if Chuck’s crying, Chuck tells him to fuck off.

Six months and they’re back in Australia and settled into the small house they’ve purchased just outside Melbourne (not Sydney, never Sydney, because Sydney holds too many memories for Chuck). And it’s always the same thing. A commercial for an animal hospital or shelter will come on the television and Chuck’s attention will be riveted on it. He never changes the channel, never allows Raleigh to, and has threatened Raleigh’s limbs (and life) if he even thinks about touching the remote.

Before the commercials are half over, Chuck is in tears. Always. It never fails. The photos and videos of the scared and injured and sick animals start to play, and Chuck loses it. He’s a quiet crier, part of the rigid control he learned as Jaeger pilot, but it’s heartbreaking to watch the tears trickle down his face as his chest hitches with suppressed sobs.

The need for new homes for the animals is worse along the coast, especially in places where the kaiju actually made landfall. The Kaiju Blue in the water was bad enough, but when the battles raged through the very streets of the cities, getting animals out of the way was always a last thought.

And Chuck is nothing but a great big softie where animals are concerned (a fact he’ll deny to his dying day, but how he spoils Max says it all).

So Raleigh just quietly sits down beside him during the commercials and wraps an arm around his shoulders. And when it’s over, he pulls Chuck closer and holds him, one of Chuck’s fists gripping tight to his shirt as Raleigh presses soft kisses to his jaw and throat.

One night, Raleigh tries to lighten the mood a little and asks Chuck if he wants to start an animal sanctuary. It’s not like they don’t have the room or the money (the PPDC made sure to set them all quite nicely after the remaining Rangers had saved their collective asses when the Wall fell to Mutavore). But Chuck just laughs, the sound thick and wet, and looks at Raleigh with red, damp eyes.

Three days later, Raleigh comes out of the shower to discover Chuck hunched over the laptop, a piece of toast caught between his teeth as he types away at the keys. Looking over his shoulder, Raleigh pauses because Chuck is looking for nearby land in one tab, while several others hold information on starting your own business, non-profit organizations, and animal care.

When he sits on the bed beside him, Chuck gives him a mutinous look and aggressively bites his toast, and Raleigh knows he’s in trouble. But he just nudges Chuck over and offers to help.


	28. Chicken Soup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raleigh takes care of a sick Chuck.

The first thing Raleigh sees when he steps through the door, grocery bags in hand, is Chuck curled up on the sofa. Exactly where Raleigh left him. And he looks just as bad as he had when Raleigh had headed to the store.

"How ya feeling, babe?" One hand presses gently against Chuck's forehead, chasing him when he pulls back and tries to duck under the blanket that he's wrapped up in like a burrito.

"I'm dying," Chuck grumbles, glaring up at Raleigh with bloodshot eyes. His nose is red and his upper lip chapped from the amount of tissues he's gone through (not that they're helping, because Chuck's nose is either constantly running or so stuffed up he can't breathe and just lies there panting like Max in the heat). One hand comes up to feebly bat Raleigh's hand from his forehead. "Dying."

"Got you some more medicine," Raleigh tells him as he heads towards the kitchen to grab the thermometer. He doesn't like how warm Chuck currently feels, especially since he isn't sweating yet. "And some chicken soup."

"I hate chicken soup," Chuck whines, the blanket pulled back up to his nose when Raleigh returns. As he watches, one hand snakes out to grab the fresh box of tissues. "Gatorade?"

"Yeah, got the Lime Rain that you like. Couple bottles of it," Raleigh says as he holds up one of the bottles in question. "You can have it with your soup."

"I hate mmf!" Whatever else Chuck had been going to say is cut off by Raleigh popping the thermometer in his mouth. He glares as Raleigh perches on the edge of the sofa to wait.

"You need to eat," Raleigh says, his voice soft as he watches Chuck with concern. Granted, it's an improvement over early this morning when Chuck had been delirious, drifting in and out of consciousness as Raleigh had fed him Gatorade and wiped him with damp clothes to bring the fever down.

A simple cold, the doctor had said.

It doesn't make Raleigh any less concerned. "Tell you what," he says as the thermometer beeps and he checks it – 100.7, but he keeps his face carefully blank, "dry toast and the soup and your Gatorade and you can pick a movie."

The blanket slowly comes down to Chuck's chin. "You'll stay?"

"We'll make a blanket fort in the bed," Raleigh offers. Not that he has any illusions that Chuck will actually make it to the end of the movie. He'll conk out halfway through.

"I stink," Chuck says, wrinkling his nose in such a way that Raleigh is hard pressed not to laugh. There are also no illusions that Chuck can smell anything, much less himself, with his head all stuffed up like it is.

"Then we'll take a shower. I'll help you."

"I can take a shower by myself," Chuck mutters, the blanket starting to creep back up, but then it stops as he sneezes. He looks so pitiful that Raleigh wants to gather him and hold him for the rest of the night. "Bath?"

"Yeah, we can do that," Raleigh says with a soft smile as he brushes a strand of hair from Chuck's forehead. "You wanna do that first, and then maybe eat while we watch the movie?"

Chuck starts to swing his feet towards the floor, but stops with his Hello, Kitty! socks a few inches from the bare wood. "Do I have to eat the soup?"

"One cupful." Raleigh stands and holds out his hand, pleased when Chuck accepts his help. From the way he sways once he's vertical, he needs it. "Just one, okay? And a piece of toast. What movie?"

"Dragons."

Of course. Raleigh laughs softly as they start towards the stairs. Toothless it is. "One or two?"

"Both."

"Good idea."

"I hate chicken soup."

"I know you do, babe."

"I'm a horrible patient."

"The worst."

"You're a fucking angel."

"I am."

"What'd I do to deserve you?"

"Saved the world."

"Oh, yeah."

"That was pretty impressive."

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Roo."


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> just a few random ones

_gen - Scott & Herc_

 

"Don't look so happy," Scott said, giving Herc a sour look that caused his older brother's forehead to wrinkle in confusion. Figured the dumbass wouldn't get it, standing there so proud of himself - of them - with their shiny new dog tags and Ranger certificates or diplomas or whatever the fuck you wanted to call them.

"We're Rangers now, so that means we'll get a Jaeger, which means we'll be on the front line, which means there's a good chance one of those big, ugly bastards'll kill us," Scott continued, watching the realization dawn in Herc's eyes, and yeah, figured he hadn't thought of that, but all Scott could do was shake his head, laugh softly, and say, "ah, fuck it, not like everything back home isn't aiming to kill us anyway."

 

***

 

_Chuck/Raleigh_

 

"I feel so loved."

Chuck stops with his forkful of noodles halfway to his mouth and peers at Raleigh. He knows that tone of voice. Knows it as well as he knows his dad's "do not fuck with me right now, son, because I will _end_ you" tone. Slowly, carefully, Chuck sets his fork back on his tray and makes a 'come on' motion with one hand.

Raleigh just stares at him, looking like a sad little puppy that's been swatted with a rolled up newspaper for piddling on the floor.

"Is this about...it is," Chuck says, and sighs as Raleigh just shrugs and looks away across the mess hall. Grumbling under his breath, Chuck slides the package of Tim Tams across the table in Raleigh's direction. "Ferfucksake, here. But don't come crying to me tonight when you're sick to your stomach because you made a right little pig of yourself."

Raleigh's smile could light the entirety of down town Sydney. Chuck tries to ignore the butterflies in his stomach feeling it gives as he goes back to his dinner. 

 

***

 

_gen - Herc & Scott_

 

"I'm honestly jealous of you," Herc said, casually dropping that into the conversation like it was nothing.

Scott stopped and stared. "What? _Why?_ "

"This," Herc said, waving his hand around the bar, indicating all the women (and more than a few of the men) who were giving Scott the eye. "Could have your pick, so why'd'ya wanna sit here and keep me company?"

"Ah, they're nothing. Birds of a feather and all that. If anyone's jealous of anyone here, it's me of you."

Herc's eyebrows drew together in just this side of not quite drunk enough confusion. "Why's that?"

"You had a _family_ , Herc." Long fingers pick at the label on his beer bottle as those blue eyes shift down and away from Herc's gaze. "I mean, y'still got Charlie, but...you did it, mate. The whole wife and kid and little house with ruffled curtains."

"I've still got a family," Herc quietly replied, reaching over to curl his hand along the nape of his little brother's neck. "You and Chuck. And Max."

"Maybe, but we –"

"S'all the family I need now, Scotty, so give over, yeah? Ohana, right?"

Scott stopped then snorted out a laugh that had him doubled up in seconds. "Fuck, bra," he managed, gasping between chuckles, "Charlie talked you into watching it again, didn't he?"

Herc just grinned.


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chuck texts Raleigh after having a few drinks...

  



	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raleigh texts things to Yancy that he probably shouldn't. Direct follow up to the last chapter.

[Raleigh] so chuck got drunk last nite & punched someone & tried 2 go down on me n the car

[Yancy's A Dumbass] um...

[Angry Koala] oi, fuck face, i was there, remember!

[Raleigh] ...

[Raleigh] chuck, how'd u get this???

[Yancy's A Dumbass] what i want 2 know is WHY R U TELLING ME THIS????

[Yancy's A Dumbass] i don't need 2 no this shit

[Yancy's A Dumbass] srsly DO NOT need 2 no bout ur sex life, rals

[Angry Koala] because you sent it to me!

[Raleigh] ???

[Raleigh] no, i sent it 2 yancy

[Angry Koala] guess it went out as a group then

[Raleigh] WHAT?!?!?!

[Raleigh] ohhhhhh fuck i'm so dead

[Raleigh] he's going 2 find sumthing rlly scary & put it n my bed

[Angry Koala] who?

[Raleigh] ur dad!

[Raleigh] he was part of the last grp txt!

[Yancy's A Dumbass] oh, man, little bro, u r so fucked

[Yancy's A Dumbass] u just told papa hansen that his bb boy gave u head last nite

[Yancy's A Dumbass] was nice 2 no u

[Angry Koala] yeah, you're fucked, rals

[Angry Koala] damn

[Angry Koala] did you even look at who you were sending it to???

[Raleigh] i just replied 2 the last 1 yancy sent me!!!

[Yancy's A Dumbass] which was n the grp txt

[Angry Koala] again, you're fucked, mate

[Angry Koala] they're never gonna find your body

[Raleigh] fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck

[Raleigh] herc, shit don't open that i sent that 2 the wrong person!!!!

[Yancy's A Dumbass] um u no he's got 2 look thru all the others 2 c that 1, rite???

[Angry Koala] definitely fucked

[Angry Koala] and not in a good way

[Angry Koala] damn, rals, even i don't fill my dad in on my sex life

[Angry Koala] wtf

[Raleigh] i wasn't paying attention!!!

[Raleigh] it was a good bj!!!

[Raleigh] even u did almost cause me 2 wreck

[Yancy's A Dumbass] STILL DON'T NEED 2 NO THIS!!!!

[Angry Koala] just good?!?!?

[Angry Koala] and i told you to keep your eyes on the road

[Raleigh] it was amazing ok???

[Raleigh] i really like that thing u do w/ ur tongue

[Raleigh] the rolly thing

[Yancy's A Dumbass] OMG TMI TMI TMI WAY TMI!!!

[Yancy's A Dumbass] can i leave this txt???

[Yancy's A Dumbass] b4 herc shows up???

[Yancy's A Dumbass] srsly guys, is there a way???

[Raleigh] don't u dare!!

[Raleigh] u gotta help me, yance!!

[Yancy's A Dumbass] y?

[Yancy's A Dumbass] i wasn't the 1 letting chuck suck my dick while i was driving

[Yancy's A Dumbass] chuck, does ur dad even no u like to suck dick???

[Angry Koala] YANCY, DO YOU REALIZE THAT MY DAD IS GETTING ALL OF THESE FUCKING MESSAGES ABOUT ME SUCKING DICK????

[Angry Koala] WHY DON'T YOU ASK ME IF HE KNOWS IF I LIKE TO TAKE IT UP THE ASS TOO FUCKER????

[Raleigh] so fucking dead he's gonna kill me & hide the body

[Yancy's A Dumbass] ...

[Yancy's A Dumbass] does he no u like taking it up the ass??

[Yancy's A Dumbass] NO WAIT DON'T ANSWER THAT I DON'T WANT 2 NO!!!!!!!!!!

[Angry Koala] well if he didn't before he does now

[Angry Koala] fucking idiots, both of ya

[Angry Koala] i may help him hide the bodies

[Raleigh] chuck u can't let ur dad kill me

[Raleigh] who will spank u when ur bad if u do????

[Yancy's A Dumbass] oh. my. god. i never needed 2 no that

[Yancy's A Dumbass] i need brain bleach stat

[Angry Koala] ...

[Angry Koala] i kinda hate you just a little bit right now Raleigh

[Angry Koala] you swore you'd never tell anyone

[Angry Koala] AND YOU JUST TOLD YOUR GODDAMN BROTHER AND MY FUCKING DAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Really Scary Dad] Raleigh.

[Really Scary Dad] Son, we need to talk.

[Angry Koala] right, that's it, i'm out!

[Yancy's A Dumbass] take me w/ u!!!!

[Raleigh] oh shit

[Really Scary Dad] You're not going anywhere. Either of you.

[Yancy's A Dumbass] fuck

[Angry Koala] fuck

[Raleigh] fuck

[Really Scary Dad] Yes, exactly.


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More drunk texting...

[Yancy] can you coem upick me up? may have been mdrinking and mgay ahve lalso punched out a guy dofr talkitng shitg.

[Raleigh] may have been drinking???

[Yancy] mjust a little biit yaeah

[Raleigh] bro, you're drunk

[Yancy] noti now cnome get mbe bekfore this guy wakes ukp

[Raleigh] good thing i learned to speak drunk!yancy years ago

[Raleigh] why'd you punch the guy?

[Yancy] he asw talpinkg shit abuto yjour boyfrieknd

[Yancy] boyfrfined

[Yancy] boyiernfd

[Yancy] chuck

[Raleigh] so you punched him?

[Raleigh] yance, lots of people talk shit about chuck

[Raleigh] it's part and parcel of being chuck hansen

[Yancy] not vlike fthis

[Yancy] said hae was a cock sciukng fgotag

[Yancy] cock suckiwng fafggot

[Yancy] saqid lhe was zuqeer sand sucked dicks

[Raleigh] ...

[Raleigh] um

[Raleigh] how hard did you say you hit the guy?

[Yancy] pretty ahrd cuz he's still pasgsed out

[Raleigh] throw some ice water on him

[Yancy] why?

[Raleigh] because i'm coming inside when i get there

[Yancy] oh

[Yancy] jyay baby bro's gonna kicak some redneck ass dude's zin deeqp suhit nyow!!!

[Yancy] chcuk youjr ybofriend ifs defending byour honor

[Chuck] what the fuck does that even mean???

[Chuck] yancy, how drunk are you??

[Yancy] juast a little byit

[Chuck] just a little

[Chuck] right

[Chuck] and what's this about my boyfriend?

[Chuck] what's raleigh doing now?

[Yancy] kicbking thsi dude's ssa

[Chuck] wait, why's he kicking some guy's ass???

[Yancy] caluled yqou a coock sucking faggoot

[Chuck] raleigh did?

[Yancy] noo the dude did paxy etatntion

[Yancy] saimd you'rme a sissy gixrl too but i didnt' tell ralws that part

[Chuck] is raleigh there now?

[Yancy] yep dudes' getting nhis yass whupped in tphe gparking lot

[Chuck] tell him to save some for me


	33. Chapter 33

"Wow."

"It's good, huh?"

"It's, uh, it's something, alright."

"You like it? It was your idea."

"Yeah, I see that. Um...how'd you get to, y'know, hang like that, Ray?"

"Secret. I'd tell you –"

"Yeah, yeah, you'd have to kill me. That, uh...has the Marshal seen it yet?"

"Don't think so. Why?"

"Reckon it'd be a lot noisier around here if he had."

"You're probably right."

"Nice color choice. Not sure if I'd've gone that bright, but it certainly catches your eye."

"But only if you look up."

"Maybe if you're standing right under it. Otherwise..."

"You think it's too much."

"I didn't say that."

"It was _your_ idea."

"I know, I just... I didn't think you'd actually _do_ it."

"But you said –"

"BECKET! HANSEN! MY OFFICE NOW!"

"Huh, reckon he's seen it."

"Y'think."

"This is why we can't have nice things."

" _What?_ I can't believe –"

"You know it's gonna get ugly in there, yeah?"

"He, uh, he's not gonna kill us...is he?"

"Always a possibility, mate."

"He's your _dad_!"

"Pretty sure that's not gonna matter one bit when you tell him that you draped his brand new Jaeger in bright pink bunting because I dared you to."

"Think we can blame it on the new cadets?"

"Which ones?"

"All of them."

"Ha! I'll have you thinking like an Aussie yet."

"NOW, BOYS!"

"Better not keep him waiting."

"I think this is what they mean when they say 'dead man walking'."

"You might be onto something there."

"Nice knowing you."

"Still can't believe you actually did it."

"Maybe I'll claim temporary insanity."

"And maybe he'll only maim you instead of killing you."

"Hey, it's an improvement."

"That it is, mate."


	34. Chapter 34

They've just started the bottom of the fourth inning and Chuck is still wondering how he let Raleigh talk him into this. It's possibly because he's a sucker for Raleigh's smile. It's also possibly because (and far more likely) he knows he'll get spectacularly laid if he can make it through the entire game without bitching once.

It's not going to be easy, though.

Baseball is the most boring sport ever invented that isn't named cricket. And it doesn't help matters that Raleigh can recite stats like he's a textbook on the game or something.

But Raleigh likes the game and he'd asked Chuck to come along, and it beat hanging out with his dad all day. Plus it's actually nice to see Raleigh so enthusiastic about something.

Still, though, most boring sport ever.

Even if they are sitting in what Raleigh called right field just over the bullpen – and Chuck can't see _why_ it's called the bullpen when it's just a bunch of the players (pitchers, Raleigh says) sprawled on benches watching the game and goofing off – and the couple sitting three rows in front of them have provided some hilarious moments so far.

Chuck's spent more time watching them than he has the game.

But then Raleigh says something about getting them more beer and drops his glove in Chuck's lap, so Chuck slouches in his seat, pulls his ball cap a little lower, and goes back to people watching. He's so engrossed in watching the people around him that he completely stops watching the game (and Raleigh will give him hell for that when he gets back), so he misses the sharp _crack_ that splits the air.

He does notice that everyone in their section is one their feet, but it doesn't seem to be because of one of those bench clearing brawls he's heard about, so he doesn't bother moving. Not until something thumps into his lap.

Looking down, he discovers a baseball in the middle of Raleigh's glove. He has about three seconds to stare at it, wondering where the hell it came from, before the guys behind him start thumping him on the shoulders and yelling really loudly.

That's when Raleigh sits back down, two beers in his hands, blue eyes sparkling with delight as he looks from Chuck to the glove and back. "You caught it," he says as he leans over to press his forehead against Chuck's temple. "First game and you catch a home run."

"Is that a big deal?" Chuck stares at the ball in his lap and absently takes the offered beer from Raleigh.

"I'd been going to games for almost five years before I caught my first one."

"Huh." Picking it up, Chuck turns it in his hand and looks at it. The impression from where the bat had struck it is there, along with traces of dirt in the seams. It's not the pristine white of the ones that were for sale in the clubhouse. It's a solid weight in his hand, heavier than he'd thought and hard as a rock.

He catches Raleigh's grin from the corner of his eye and sets it gently back into the glove. Without saying a word, he takes a long swallow of his beer and shifts until his shoulder is pressed against Raleigh's.

Raleigh just laughs softly and drapes his arm across the back of Chuck's seat.

It's still the most boring game ever invented, but Chuck can see where there might be just a little appeal.


	35. Chapter 35

Chuck hates Alaska. He hates it with the fiery passion of a thousand suns. And he'd told Raleigh that before they ever even got on the plane.

Raleigh – as was typical – completely ignored him. After all, he needed closure (something that Chuck can understand all too well) and closure was in Alaska.

That doesn't mean Chuck has to like it.

He's kept his bitching to a minimum – for him, anyway – because he knows this is important to Raleigh. But he steadfastly refuses to step foot outside without at least four layers of clothing between him and the cold. And every chance he gets, he points out how unnatural it is for snow to be up to his ass. Literally.

Raleigh pointing out that he should be glad it's not Minnesota with its freak snow storms doesn't make it any better.

But he does smile when Chuck just grumbles quietly and refuses to go to the store with him.

Of course, that leaves Chuck in the rented cabin by himself. So he stokes the fire and wraps himself even tighter in a blanket even though he's already wearing two pairs of socks and three shirts and a knit cap pulled down to his eyebrows. He's still freezing.

And the view of the sky through the window threatens even more snow before nightfall.

But then... Then he remembers that Raleigh has this one jumper. Unwrapping himself, Chuck scurries to the bedroom in search of the lost treasure, practically crowing in delight when he finds it. With a happy sigh, he tugs it on and retreats back to the blanket and the fire.

The jumper is perfect. It's a thick, bulky cable knit of soft yarn the color of old ivory. It doesn't do much for Raleigh with his coloring, but on Chuck it's perfect.

More importantly, it's _warm_.

 

Raleigh's keys rattle in the knob and the words die on his lips when he opens the door. Without a sound, he eases the door closed behind him.

Then a smile curves his lips as he looks at Chuck. His boyfriend resembles a lumpy burrito, wrapped as he is in the blanket. His lashes rest on his cheekbones, his skin glows in the firelight, and the soft sound that emerges from his partially open mouth is not quite a snore. He looks younger than he is (a fact that causes a brief twinge of guilt as Raleigh reminds himself that they're both consenting adults) and far too adorable for words.

When he wakes, Raleigh will tease him about the former, but will keep the latter firmly behind his teeth.


	36. Chapter 36

For what is probably the hundredth time, Bucky looks at himself in the mirror and wonders if he should change. After all, jeans and a button down might be _too_ casual. He wants to make a good impression, because these are Steve's friends. His new Howling Commandos of a sort.

He also questions his hair and silently curses not letting Steve cut it (he's still not comfortable with knives or scissors anywhere near his head and neck). Down, it's shaggy and long, and up it's still messy and looks ridiculous. So he tilts his head from side to side to examine it and is reaching for it yet again when Steve calls from the living room of their apartment.

With a not so quietly muttered string of four letter words that mostly consist of "shit fuck dammit god fucking dammit fuck fucking _fuck_ ," Bucky rubs his right hand down the leg of his jeans and heads out of the bathroom.

If the night blows up in their faces, he'll do his best to keep from saying "I told you so" too loudly.

*

"We don't have to do this," Steve says, and Bucky shakes his head.

He's been out of custody – _home_ – for two weeks, and this is the first time he's left the apartment that didn't involve a therapy session or formal meeting. This... This is dinner. With Steve's new team.

"No, I want to," he says for the third time (because that's how many times Steve's asked already, and Bucky knows he'll ask at least that many more times). He reaches up with fingers that flash in the passing street lamps and tucks a strand of hair behind one ear. "This is... We were invited. _I_ was invited. I want to do this, Steve."

Steve just nods and settles back against the cab seat. But he still asks twice more during the thirty block cab ride and again once their feet are on the sidewalk outside Avengers Tower. Bucky gives himself a mental high five for remembering enough about Steve to get the question count right.

*

The first person to greet them is the one who opens the door, and her name is Pepper Potts.

She's beautiful and elegant and has a kind smile. And she smells like summer.

Bucky falls head over heels immediately and tries not to stare.

*

He doesn't even pretend that he isn't staring when Steve introduces him to Thor. The man (god? Bucky isn't entirely clear on that one, just that he's definitely not from around here) is bigger than Steve and there's a hammer on the coffee table that apparently goes with him and there's a story that goes with that hammer that embarrasses just about everyone. Bucky makes a mental note to ask Steve about it later when they're in private.

Thor is more than a little terrifying (mostly because there's a niggling voice in the back of his head that tells Bucky that Thor could take him, even _with_ the arm and second rate serum he was given), and he takes up a lot of space. But it's his girlfriend, Jane Foster, who fascinates Bucky.

She starts talking about quantum physics and space and convergences and looks embarrassed when Thor laughs softly and nudges her.

Bucky falls a little bit for her, too.

*

Bruce is quiet and a little frayed around the edges and there's something in his eyes that calls to Bucky. But he takes care to keep his movements small and slow and deliberate and doesn't shy away from Bucky's gaze when they talk.

It's refreshing. Bucky makes another mental note – adding it to the long list in his head – to talk more with him before the end of the night.

*

Natasha scares Bucky. A lot. He knows what she is and what she's done and what she's still very much capable of doing.

Plus there's the matter of Odessa between them.

And the fact that he knows she kissed Steve once (and he's pretty sure that she knows he knows) and that makes something deep inside Bucky's chest get tight and hot. He finds himself standing just that much closer to Steve while they attempt to make small talk.

But then she makes some joke about fossils and the Smithsonian that has Steve's ears turning pink (something that Bucky stares at with more than a little amusement) and asks if Steve's set up his swear jar yet (Bucky doesn't get that reference, but everyone else does from the bright outburst of laughter and the way Steve goes red all the way down beneath his collar). There's a look in her eyes that doesn't jibe with what he knows of her, so Bucky squints a little and stares at her.

She winks at him.

He finds himself sidling just a little closer to her and away from Steve.

*

Tony... Tony is Howard's son and to say things are awkward between them is the understatement of the century.

Bucky doesn't remember killing Howard and Maria (there's a lot he doesn't, and may never, remember because his brain has more holes than Swiss cheese), but there's enough in the files on him to indicate that he probably did. He doesn't know how to apologize for that. And he doesn't think Tony would accept it even if he did.

Steve and Pepper help keep things civil and smooth, but from the way Tony looks at him when he thinks Bucky isn't looking, Bucky thinks that Tony might have been one of the ones lobbying for him to be locked away for the rest of his life. Or at least to have a permanent security detail.

Bucky can't blame him.

And when Tony is arrogant and abrasive (God, Bucky doesn't miss _those_ particular Stark qualities at _all_ ), Bucky ignores it. He makes the best effort he can for Steve's sake.

His fingers reflect light in a quick flash when he scratches his neck, and Bucky freezes like a deer in headlights when Tony's eyes zero in on his hand. Slowly, Bucky lets his hand drop and reaches for the cuff of his left sleeve. Tony's gaze is focused on every move with laser-like intensity as Bucky undoes the buttons and rolls the sleeve to his elbow.

When he extends his arm towards Tony, he sees Steve's small smile when Tony reacts like a kid in a candy store.

*

Sam and Rhodey remind Bucky of Gabe in some ways, and he can't stop the way his breath catches at the sharp pain in his chest. They look concerned and so does Steve, but Bucky shakes his head and tells them he's okay.

He's good.

It's just another memory tearing free.

Sam acts as if nothing happened and Rhodey goes along with it, both of them treating Bucky like he's completely normal. He likes that.

He doesn't like it when Sam regales them with some story about Steve jumping out of a plane without a parachute (Natasha is close enough to overhear and chimes in to point out that it wasn't for the _first_ time). And Steve, the little punk, doesn't even have the grace to look ashamed of himself when Bucky turns a flat stare on him.

*

But it's Clint who gets the strongest visceral reaction out of Bucky. At first, his eyes are hard when they shake hands and Bucky wonders if he did something wrong.

But then he catches a glimpse of Natasha's face and oh. _Oh_. Odessa. Again. How do you apologize for shooting someone when it wasn't you who did the shooting?

How do you apologize for being a weapon that was pointed at the world?

Bucky doesn't know, but he opens his mouth to try when Clint's expression shifts. His eyes lose the hardness and something blooms in the blue depths. Something that looks like understanding. And compassion.

He can't say he's too surprised when Bucky finds himself gravitating towards Clint over the course of the evening.

*

On the cab ride home, Steve doesn't ask how Bucky is or how he's feeling or anything like that, and Bucky's grateful. He knows that talking about all of that is part of the therapy, but so is the quiet time to process everything that's going on in his head.

"Tonight was good," he finally says when they're two blocks from the brownstone. His voice is soft when he speaks, and he carefully doesn't look at Steve.

"It was," Steve agrees, and his voice is just as soft. Bucky doesn't need to see him to know he's smiling that smile again. The one that's always been reserved for Bucky.

"I like them," Bucky adds as Steve unlocks their front door and flips on a light.

Steve shoots him a look that's part skepticism and part amusement. "Even Tony?"

"Even Tony." Bucky smiles and looks down at his left hand as he flexes the fingers. "He's not so bad. Wants to look at my arm, though."

"You're not a lab rat," Steve says after a long moment, and there's a hint of fire in his voice.

Bucky just smiles again and shakes his head. "No, it's good. He said it...it could help, y'know. With combat vets. Prosthetics."

"Ah," is all Steve says as he steps up behind Bucky and wraps his arms around his waist. Bucky practically melts into the warmth. "You okay with that?"

"Yeah," Bucky says, and he's surprised that he means it. "I think I am."

He turns in Steve's arm and presses the palm of that hand to Steve's jaw, the touch surprisingly delicate. Leaning in, he brushes his lips against Steve's once, twice, a third time, humming softly as Steve kisses him back. "Are you okay with it?"

"Yeah," Steve whispers as he rests his forehead against Bucky's and takes a deep breath. When he opens his eyes, the brilliance of their color makes Bucky's breath hitch in his lungs. "They liked you, too."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."


End file.
